{"id":400542,"date":"2026-07-16T09:06:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T09:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/400542\/"},"modified":"2026-07-16T09:06:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T09:06:11","slug":"katie-porter-says-shes-done-with-politics-after-failed-governor-bid-as-she-teases-next-chapter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/400542\/","title":{"rendered":"Katie Porter says she\u2019s done with politics after failed governor bid as she teases next chapter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Katie Porter is turning the page<\/a> on politics after a bruising California governor campaign that ended in defeat and revived years of criticism over her treatment of staff<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The former California congresswoman announced Wednesday that she’s stepping away from public life<\/a>, telling followers on Instagram: “I’m done for now with politics and campaigning.”<\/p>\n

Porter, who failed to advance out of California’s recent gubernatorial primary, also revealed she’s rebranding her Instagram account as @katieporterturnsthepage<\/a>, a nod to her love of books.<\/p>\n

\"Porter,<\/p>\n

Porter, who failed to advance out of California’s recent gubernatorial primary, revealed she’s rebranding her Instagram account. Getty Images<\/p>\n

\"Porter<\/p>\n

Porter finished fifth in California’s crowded top-two primary with 4.4% of the vote. MediaNews Group via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The self-described “fast reader” said the account will now focus on reading instead of politics.<\/p>\n

The announcement caps a turbulent final chapter for the Democrat<\/a>, whose gubernatorial campaign was increasingly overshadowed by renewed scrutiny of her temperament and management style.<\/p>\n

Porter finished fifth in California’s crowded top-two primary, receiving 403,908 votes, or 4.4% of the vote, according to unofficial California Secretary of State returns.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The former California congresswoman announced Wednesday that she’s stepping away from public life. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\"Katie<\/p>\n

Katie Porter speaking during a California gubernatorial debate. AP<\/p>\n

\"Porter<\/p>\n

Porter represented California in the House from 2019 through 2025 and remains a full-time law professor at UC Irvine. Getty Images<\/p>\n

Under California’s primary system, only the top two finishers advance to the general election, leaving Porter out of the November race despite appearing on a ballot that included 61 candidates.<\/p>\n

As her campaign struggled, an unedited 2021 video resurfaced<\/a> in late 2025 showing Porter berating a staffer who accidentally walked into the background during a virtual meeting with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.<\/p>\n

“Get out of my f-ing shot!<\/a>” Porter shouted.<\/p>\n

The video quickly went viral and reignited longstanding questions about her treatment of aides.<\/p>\n

Porter later publicly and privately apologized for the outburst<\/a>, addressing it at a Sacramento public forum and again during a televised gubernatorial debate.<\/p>\n

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The controversy was followed by another viral moment when Porter grew visibly irritated during an interview with a CBS Sacramento investigative reporter, scolding the journalist and threatening to end the interview because she did not want to have an “unhappy experience.”<\/p>\n

Those incidents added fuel to complaints that had followed Porter throughout her time in Congress.<\/p>\n

Capitol Hill records consistently showed she had one of the highest staff turnover rates in the House, while leaked 2022 text messages revealed she harshly reprimanded a fellow over concerns the person had exposed her to COVID-19.<\/p>\n

Porter represented California in the House from 2019 through 2025 and remains a full-time law professor at UC Irvine, where she first joined the faculty in 2011.<\/p>\n

Whether her political retirement is permanent remains an open question. <\/p>\n

But after a failed bid for higher office and a series of headline-grabbing controversies, Porter says she’s putting campaigns behind her, at least for now.<\/p>\n