Overview

• Video from a September CBS News California interview shows Porter threatening to end the exchange and reaching for her mic after repeated follow-ups about courting Trump voters, though her campaign and CBS say the interview continued for about 20 minutes.
• Reporter Julie Watts pressed Porter on whether she needs support from the roughly 40% of Californians who backed Trump, with Porter saying she could win a general election against a Republican without them and expressing frustration at the premise.
• The segment was part of a series asking all gubernatorial hopefuls similar questions tied to Proposition 50, the redistricting ballot measure advanced by Democrats for a November special election.
• Democratic rivals including Xavier Becerra, Antonio Villaraigosa, Tony Thurmond and Betty Yee criticized Porter’s comments and approach, and Republican contenders highlighted the clip to question her temperament.
• Porter remains a leading Democrat in early polling with roughly 17–18% support and a large undecided bloc, and she received an EMILY’s List endorsement this week that analysts say could bring early money and organizing muscle in the top-two primary.