Unearthed FEC records expose Katie Porter’s hypocrisy after she fumes at ‘new billionaire’ joining race
In a dramatic turn of events in the California gubernatorial race, billionaire activist Tom Steyer has officially announced his candidacy, igniting a fierce backlash from former Congresswoman Katie Porter, who is also vying for the position. Despite having accepted over $16,000 in campaign contributions from Steyer during her time in Congress, Porter has publicly criticized him for claiming to combat the very industries—such as fossil fuels and tobacco—that contributed to his wealth. This accusation has drawn attention to the perceived hypocrisy in her stance, with critics labeling her as “the ultimate hypocrite” for attacking Steyer while having benefited financially from him in the past. A Democratic strategist noted that Porter’s campaign has been fraught with missteps, suggesting that her presence at the top of the ticket could pose a liability for Democrats in the upcoming election.
Steyer, who previously ran an unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2020, is positioning himself as a champion for working-class Americans, pledging to make life more affordable and take on corporate interests. His announcement video emphasizes his commitment to tackling the oil and tobacco industries, which he claims have adversely affected Californians. However, his critics, including fellow Democratic candidate Betty Yee, have pointed out his past attempts to “buy the presidency” and have questioned whether the governorship could serve as a consolation prize for his previous failures. Meanwhile, Porter has faced scrutiny not only for her political tactics but also for her behavior on the campaign trail, including a contentious interview with CBS where she dismissed questions about appealing to Trump voters and has been criticized for her treatment of staff.
As the race heats up, California’s gubernatorial landscape is becoming increasingly crowded, featuring prominent figures such as former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, alongside lesser-known candidates like state schools Superintendent Tony Thurmond and former Controller Betty Yee. With tensions rising and accusations flying, the dynamics of the race could shift significantly as candidates jockey for position and public support in the lead-up to the election.
After billionaire activist Tom Steyer entered the California gubernatorial race Wednesday, former Congresswoman Katie Porter, who is also running for governor, blasted him despite previously taking thousands of dollars from him when she was in Congress.
Porter said Steyer was entering the race claiming to fight “the very industries he got rich helping grow,” to which the former member of Congress said: “I call bulls—.” Meanwhile,
FEC filings
show Porter, who is claiming to fight Steyer, received more than $16,000 between her House campaigns and failed Senate campaign.
“Katie Porter is the ultimate hypocrite and all she’s done in this race is step on one rake after another,” a longtime
Democratic strategist,
who has worked with campaigns across the country, told Fox News Digital. “This is easily the most disastrous race a Democrat has been running in 2026, which is why Porter is a real liability at the top of the ticket and why Democrats are looking around for alternatives.”
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The Porter campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment on this story.
Steyer, who once financed his own unsuccessful presidential bid in 2020, announced plans to enter the California gubernatorial race this week. The billionaire anti-Trump activist pledged to make life more affordable for
working-class Americans
and take on corporate interests in an announcement advertisement alerting people of his candidacy. Steyer specifically said he would take on the oil and tobacco industries in particular, which he touted a record of doing in the past as well.
“A new billionaire in our race claims he’ll fight the very industries he got rich helping grow — fossil fuel companies, tobacco, and private immigration detention facilities — at great cost to Californians,” Porter posted on X after Steyer announced his run. “I call bulls—.”
Attached to Porter’s post was also a screenshot of a news headline from The Sacramento Bee that reads: “Tom Steyer, starring in TV ads for tobacco tax hike, invested in tobacco companies.”
People commenting on Porter’s post highlighted her financial support she has received from Steyer in the past. Between 2018 and 2023, Porter received at least $16,100 from him, a Fox News Digital review found.
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For Steyer, his wealth will likely be a target for his opponents.
“Tom Steyer tried to buy the presidency — and he failed,” Betty Yee, a former state controller who is running in the Democratic Primary for governor, said following Steyer’s announcement. “The California governorship is not going to be his consolation prize.”
Porter, meanwhile, has faced criticism on the campaign trail for her attitude towards staffers and the media. She faced criticism last month after
abruptly walking away from a CBS interview
after lashing out at the reporter interviewing her.
“What do you say to the 40% of CA voters who you’ll need in order to win, who voted for Trump?” Porter was asked by CBS California’s Julie Watts during a segment on the controversial redistricting effort launched by Democrats in the state.
“How would I need them in order to win, ma’am?” Porter responded.
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“Well, unless you think you’re going to get 60% of the vote,” the reporter, asking about the voter breakdown of Democrats and Republicans in the state, said before Porter started laughing.
Porter then went back and forth with the reporter, arguing about whether she needs to court and win over Trump voters, particularly if she’s running head-to-head against another Democrat.
“So you don’t need them to win,” Watts asked Porter.
“I feel like this is unnecessarily argumentative,” Porter said, prompting the reporter to point out that she had asked the same question to the other candidates in the race and they answered it.
“I don’t want to keep doing this, I’m going to call it,” Porter said.
When Watts reminded Porter that every candidate had answered the question, Porter said, “I don’t care.”
Meanwhile, Porter has also faced repeated criticism about
how she allegedly treats staffers.
In just a span of a single week, three videos went viral of Porter berating her staff.
The race for California governor is a crowded one, with big names like former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. Former Vice President Kamala Harris was reportedly planning on getting involved but ultimately backed away.
Lesser known candidates include state schools Superintendent Tony Thurmond, former Controller Betty Yee and former Assemblyman Ian Calderon.
