EMILY’s List, the pro-abortion PAC that previously backed failed presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris, is circulating a memo arguing that its endorsed California gubernatorial candidate, former Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) — an Elizabeth Warren protégée— stands to gain the most from Eric Swalwell’s departure from the race.
The memo says Porter is “gaining significant late momentum” and claims she is “the most-prepared candidate to meet this moment.” It contends that, after Swalwell’s exit amid sexual assault allegations, Porter offers Democrats the “strongest path to victory in California” and says, “It is time to elect the first woman Governor in California.”
EMILY’s List says Porter is in the strongest position to benefit from Swalwell’s collapse. According to the memo, an internal campaign poll found that 46 percent of Swalwell voters named Porter as their second choice, compared with 14 percent for Tom Steyer, while 9 percent chose Xavier Becerra, 22 percent picked “all others,” 9 percent were undecided, and Republicans drew zero support in the chart circulated with the memo. The organization argues that in what it calls “a two-candidate Democratic race,” Porter is tied with Steyer and positioned to gain as voting approaches.
The memo further maintains that Porter is uniquely positioned to lead California in opposition to what it calls the “disastrous and dangerous policies” of the Trump administration. EMILY’s List says Porter “remains the only candidate in the race who is neither a billionaire nor taking corporate PAC money,” drawing a contrast with Tom Steyer, whom the memo describes as “an out-of-touch billionaire trying to buy himself the state’s highest office.” Citing the San Francisco Chronicle, the memo concludes that “Democrats can pull victory from the jaws of defeat by coalescing around Porter.”
Breitbart News has questioned EMILY’s List’s electoral record, including 2015 reports arguing that the group had struggled in races for governor, Congress, and statewide office. The organization also advised Hillary Clinton in 2016 to de-emphasize messaging about becoming the first woman president, helped mobilize women voters for Clinton later that year while saying “a President Hillary Clinton will make the best choices for this country,” and launched a multimillion-dollar effort to boost then-Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 election.
EMILY’s List did not address how voters may react to Porter’s increasingly scandal-plagued personal and professional record.
On self-defense and gun rights, Porter campaigned in 2018 on pushing California-style gun control nationally, saying she supported “a ban on assault weapons” and “mandatory background checks on all gun sales.” She also said “common-sense gun protections are our values” and ran with endorsements from Moms Demand Action and Gabby Giffords’ gun-control group.
On women’s sports, Porter said during a 2023 television appearance that it “should be up to sporting bodies to make the decisions” about trans-identifying athletes competing in women’s events. When asked about former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines, who competed against biological male William “Lia” Thomas, Porter said Gaines was trying to “get likes and get clicks.”
On immigration and crimes committed by illegal aliens, Porter called the death of Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student murdered by an illegal alien, tragic and important to acknowledge, but said, “The important thing to focus on is any one instance shouldn’t shape our overall immigration policy.”
On abortion, In 2019, Porter said, “Women cannot have social and economic equality without the right to control our bodies.” In 2022, she linked abortion and inflation, saying the two “reinforce each other” because rising costs for food, fuel, and housing mean “people need to be in charge of how many mouths they’re going to have to feed.” In 2024, Porter claimed Republicans were coming for “every last bit of women’s freedom to make their own decisions about their health and about when and if to start a family.” She also warned that Republicans would eventually target IVF and birth control, saying, “Our rights are under attack, and we need to fight like hell.”
Porter, who remained silent when repeatedly asked whether she condemned protesters who burned the American flag and chanted “Death to America” during a pro-Palestinian demonstration, has also faced scrutiny over her treatment of fellow Americans, including staff, reporters, and other public officials.
In late 2022, former Wounded Warrior Fellow Sasha Georgiades, a Navy veteran, said Porter barred her from returning to the office for the final weeks of her fellowship after a coronavirus-related dispute. After Georgiades explained that a Navy friend had been murdered, Porter replied, “Well you gave me Covid,” and “My children have nobody to care for them.” Porter’s office denied retaliation and said the fellowship had already been scheduled to end.
Porter was also reported in 2023 to have texted then-Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan in July 2021, telling her she had a “reputation for not staying in your lane and seeking attention,” later adding, “I am a United States Congresswoman. You can lecture me on professionalism. And see what happens.”
In 2025 additional reports drew attention to Porter’s treatment of staff and others. One resurfaced video showed Porter yelling at a staffer, “Get out of my fucking shot!” during a meeting with then-Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, while another showed her threatening to end an interview with a California reporter. Porter later said she “could have handled things better” and apologized.
A 2023 report on divorce filings said her ex-husband, Matthew Hoffman, alleged that Porter physically abused him during their marriage, including by dumping scalding mashed potatoes on his head and injuring him during a coffee-pot incident. Porter had previously said in court filings that Hoffman became violent only after their separation, apart from an earlier incident.
In 2024, Porter sought a restraining order against an ex-boyfriend, alleging months of harassment, threats, and repeated contact with her family, staff, and fellow lawmakers. Porter said the situation caused her serious fear for her safety and well-being, while the ex-boyfriend denied her account and claimed she was seeking the restraining order to preempt him from suing her and going to the media.
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