• Katie Porter attempted to end a recent interview after being pressed on Trump voter support.
• The former representative's comments drew criticism from Democratic rivals and strategists.
• Porter is currently leading in the polls for the 2026 gubernatorial race in California.
• Her campaign confirms that the interview continued for an additional 20 minutes after the exchange.
• Concerns arise over Porter's ability to connect with a broad electorate if elected governor.

Katie Porter, a Democratic candidate for California's gubernatorial race, faced scrutiny after an interview aired where she attempted to end the discussion following a question about how she plans to connect with the 40 percent of California voters who backed President Trump. CBS News correspondent Julie Watts questioned her on the issue, leading to a tense exchange where Porter expressed frustration, stating, “I feel like this is unnecessarily argumentative,” and later adding, “I don’t want this all on camera,” according to latimes.

The video clip, which quickly went viral, shows Porter grow increasingly agitated during the interview as Watts pressed her for answers on reaching out to Trump supporters. Initially, Porter claimed she would seek support from all voters but dismissively stated during the interview, “I don’t want to keep doing this. I’m going to call it,” asserts indiatimes.

Critics, including fellow Democrats, expressed concern over her handling of the interview. California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond stated, “No candidate for Governor should hide from the press or mistreat them," emphasizing the need for transparency, as reported by thehill and indiatimes.

Porter’s rivals, including former Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, criticized her approach after he noted that he is "not interested in excluding any vote,” emphasizing the need for inclusive campaigning in a diverse electorate. The dynamics in the race are further complicated as recent polls show Porter leading with 17 percent among Democratic candidates, although 38 percent of voters remain undecided, highlighting potential vulnerabilities ahead of the election, according to latimes and thehill.