The Last Thing California Needs is Katie Porter, Kamala Harris, and Gavin Newsom

As expected, former Representative Katie Porter declared that she is running for Governor of California. This followed an announcement that former Vice President Kamala Harris will decide by the end of Summer 2025 on whether she will run for governor in 2026, and presumably precluding a third campaign for president in 2028. Harris will run for governor because she is a career politician, Democrat party bosses oppose Porter, and it clears the way for Governor Gavin Newsom to run for president in 2028.

Before Porter officially declared her campaign, the lead candidate for governor by fundraising was Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis. Her closest rival was Attorney General Rob Bonta, who will instead run for reelection with minimal competition. Kounalakis and Bonta, as well as Harris, Newsom, and most of the statewide offices are part of the Bay Area Cabal that has controlled state politics for the last 30 years. They value power, control, obedience, and are risk averse. For the same reasons Bonta could not run against Kounalakis, Kounalakis cannot run against Harris for governor, and Harris cannot run against Newsom for president.

Newsom has higher party seniority than Harris, despite Harris surpassing him in 2010 when she was elected attorney general, and he dropped out for governor to no one because of low polling. This setback Newsom eight years as Lieutenant Governor, which he derided as “one day a week tops,” and instead Harris eventually ran for president in 2020. Her lackluster tenure as vice president, cast doubts about her ability to succeed President Joe Biden – her entire job. In Summer 2024, Newsom was positioned as Biden’s replacement, before Bidendisrupted the machinations of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and endorsed Harris. Harris was an accident of court politics and running for governor makes way for Newsom.

The Bay Area Cabal opposes Porter because she is not a team player. In 2023 Porter preempted the late Senator Dianne Feinstein, then 89 years old, announcing her senate campaign. Feinstein’s forced retirement offended Feinstein and the Democrat establishment that only whispered Feinstein’s health had been declining for a decade, when they first offered to Feinstein to again run for governor in 2010 and open her seat for Newsom. Her colleague, former Senator Barbara Boxer is also from the Bay, retired in 2016 and was succeeded by Harris.

Porter’s additional offenses are enumerated by former Democrat Representative Harley Rouda in the Orange County Register. In addition to describing Porter as an abusive self-centered “bully with a white board,” Rouda criticized Porter for barely winning a seat redistricted for her, costing Democrats a congressional seat in Los Angeles (CA-27; Loss), and potentially two more in Orange County (CA-47; Hold and SD-37; Loss). As one of the most junior of the elderly California delegation, and a competitive district, Porter was supposed to “wait her turn.”

Above all Porter does not follow orders. Speaker Emerita Pelosi is the party boss, was close to Feinstein, and selected then Representative Adam Schiff as Feinstein’s successor. Although a backbencher from Southern California, Schiff was senior, his seat safe, and gained prominence opposing the first Trump Administration. Porter eventually finished third for U.S. Senate with 15% of the vote and then broke silence against California’s “rigged” political machine that included Schiff promoting Republican Steve Garvey.

The largest uncertainty is still another potential recall of Newsom. In the 2003 Recall, Governor Gray Davis campaigned against the recall and failed to stop Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante from running as a viable alternative. Conversely, Newsom successfully prevented another Democrat from running in the 2021 Recall, and losing in 2026 threatens his political ambitions to become president.

However there is no incentive for Porter and then other outsider candidates to not run as an alternative, especially as even Newsom is trying to reinvent and distance himself from Newsom. Porter’s political career is despite the local and state party, who originally endorsed now Representative Dave Min over Porter in 2018. Porter defeated Min, was elected to Congress, and became a top fundraiser. For U.S. Senate, Porter raised $32 million compared to Schiff’s $48 million, despite low institutional support from the state party. Porter’s insolence is bad for business; other Democrats might forget who rules the “Great State of Nancy Pelosi.”

California needs a governor and leaders who are actually interested in solving the state’s top issues. Polls consistently show Californians are concerned about the cost of housing, the economy, homelessness, crime, and immigration. Governor is not a stepping-stone for self-serving political ambition, a consolation prize, or retirement package. The next Governor of California will be the most consequential in a generation, regardless if he or she is a success or failure. To paraphrase Democrat Representative Harley Rouda, “the last thing we need is more self-centered politicians like Katie Porter,” Kamala Harris, and Gavin Newsom.