Posted on 10/08/2025 8:10:41 PM PDT by Rummyfan
The 2026 California gubernatorial race is afoot, as Golden State Democrats vie to replace Gavin Newsom. (Newsom is technically vacating the position after 2026, but departed in spirit long ago for a presidential campaign.) Back when conventional wisdom held — erroneously, I suspect — that the position was Kamala Harris’s for the taking, former Orange County congresswoman Katie Porter pipped the field by announcing her candidacy in March 2025.
That early start paid off for Porter, who currently leads a divided primary field also populated by former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, former Los Angeles Mayor Tony Villaraigosa, Fox News commentator Steve Hilton — a Republican — and six other guys you’ve never heard of. (California has used a “jungle primary” system since 2012, meaning that the top two vote-getters in June advance to the November ballot regardless of party.) Her lead is not commanding, however, and is due primarily to name recognition as a former congresswoman from the populous Los Angeles suburbs.
Well, Porter’s name recognition is about to spike even higher with California voters, but for reasons she would desperately not prefer. Near the end of September, Porter sat down with CBS News’s California-based correspondent Julie Watts for a candidate interview — part of a series of them CBS is conducting with all the contenders — and the video aired only last night. Now California voters know a lot more about Porter, because she melted down in spectacular fashion on camera and terminated the interview abruptly.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
![]() |
Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. |
Every contender is a leftist scumbag and it just doesn’t matter one wins Ca loses
She will definitely win. CA people always make the worst possible choices.
Nah. Her pole position is due to name recognition, and she barely has that. There’s absolutely nothing the libs find attractive— being female isn’t enough. White, fat, ugly. It’ll be one of the others, I’d bet Becerra or Villaragosa
I’d bet Becerra or Villaragosa”
Both are despicable scumbags. I’d have to Becerra may be the worst of the two but hard to say.
Of appealing to Trump voters: “I don’t need them.”
Nothing but contempt for a sizable chunk of taxpaying constituents.
Her getting the nomination for Governor would be Steve Hilton’s best shot to win.
Needless to say, it is tautologically false that you need the support of the losing party’s voters to win.
It is only "tautologically false" if one treats people as automatons that only vote according to their assigned party affiliation. It may be true that the tendency is strongest in California, but the fact is that registered Democrats do not hold a majority in the state.
From Fact check: What is the percentage of voters by party in california (Checked on August 16, 2025)
Based on the analyses provided, California's voter registration by party shows Democrats maintaining a strong plurality across multiple data points. The most consistent figures show:
In terms of actual voting behavior, the 2024 presidential election saw Kamala Harris receive 58.5% of votes cast while Donald Trump received 38.3%, suggesting a healthy cross-over vote from non-Democrat registered voters.
- Democrats: 45.3-46.8% of registered voters
- Republicans: 23.9-25.2% of registered voters
- No Party Preference/Independents: 21.9-22.3%
- Minor parties: 7.0-7.2%
It would be crazy for Porter to declare that she can win without appealing to voters outside of the Democrat base.
-PJ
Porter may be counting on the California "jungle primary" or "Top Two" system that is most likely going to create a Democrat versus Democrat general election. However, Porter will have to be one of the two who makes it out of the primary and to the general election.
In a D versus D election for Governor, it's possible that disaffected Trump voters just stay home and let the single-party-rule Democrats pick their governor.
-PJ
The phony Democrat ballots are the majority in California.
I’m supporting Steve Hilton, although I think his English accent will turn some voters off. I like Leo Zacky, a businessman, but I doubt that he has the name recognition to be a serious threat. Chad Bianco, a sheriff, has some conservative support and he’s articulate and says the right things, but many of us are turned off by the fact that he and his deputies knelt before a mob of Black Lives Matter protesters in 2020.
I am LOVING how the reporter started smiling as Katie kept getting more unhinged.
-PJ
Typical liberal that thinks they’re above it all and everyone else is beneath them. How dare that snooty reporter ask her a follow up question?
Katie porter however is a fat dumb slob who couldn’t run a peanut stand.
Yeah, Her lead will be gone as fast as a wallet dropped on a skid row sidewalk.
Sorry, as much as I hate to say it, Hilton has zero chance to win.
Good one and I agree whole heartedly.
Sounds like it’s also spread all over the digital video file of her interview.
CC
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.