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A new campaign video from former Democratic Rep. Katie Porter jokes about her record of profanely berating staff members, with the California gubernatorial hopeful saying it made her more relatable to the public.
Porter said she referenced the moment in her campaign video because it showed Californians that she was someone who took “responsibility” for her former actions and could laugh at herself. Last year, a video resurfaced showing Porter in 2021 yelling at a staff member to “get out of my f***ing shot” when making a video message for the Biden administration.
Porter’s new ad, which features her support for abolishing ICE and calls to “Dump Trump,” concludes with her asking supporters lined up behind her to “please get out of my shot.”
“I think it’s important to show Californians who I really am. I’m someone who’s not like most politicians,” Porter said in an interview with Nexstar Media Group. “I push a shopping cart, fill a minivan. You see that in the ad, but you’ll also see somebody who’s taken responsibility again and again in this race, and is also able to laugh at herself and show that she’s grown. And I think that is a mark of leadership, and I want to show people that.”
🚨NEW: Democratic candidate for CA governor Katie Porter releasing a new campaign ad referencing the viral video of her yelling at a staffer.
Here’s part of our exclusive conversation about why she decided to do this ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Ito7sLd7Cv
— Nikki Laurenzo (@NikkiLaurenzo) May 4, 2026
Porter added that she thought referencing the vulgar moment showed humor and was a good way to “laugh at yourself” and acknowledged that the staff video was not her “best moment.”
“Most politicians, let’s face it, they don’t push a shopping cart. They also can’t laugh at themselves,” she said. “The real Katie Porter is the one who has been on the campaign trail for the last year, who has made apologies, and has shown that she can do better.”
Porter also claimed she performed well during a tough interview with CBS reporter Julie Watts, even though she faced criticism for complaining about the number of follow-up questions she was asked.
California’s governor’s race features a crowded Democrat field that has led some to be concerned they could be locked out of the general election because of the state’s jungle primary system.
Recent polling shows former Fox News host Steve Hilton and former President Joe Biden’s Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra leading with 18%. In third place is Republican Sheriff Chad Bianco with 14%. Next, is billionaire Tom Steyer with 12%, and Porter comes in fifth with 8%.
President Donald Trump has endorsed Hilton, which some strategists have said jeopardizes the chance of a Democratic lockout.
