Former Rep. Katie Porter is sinking in the polls as the race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom gets downright claustrophobic.
Support for Porter, the former Orange County congresswoman who’s been labeled a tyrant by a former staffer and her ex-husband, has slipped to 11% of voters surveyed by Emerson College in a new poll released Thursday.
The poll suggests splintering support for Porter and others in the crowded primary field after the entry of East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell and Tom Steyer, the billionaire climate activist.
“Upon entering the race, Swalwell splits the Democratic vote with Porter, 20% supporting Swalwell and 17% Porter,” Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said in a statement. “Republican voters are split between Bianco and Hilton, at 33% and 30%, while a plurality of independents, 45%, are undecided.”
California voters have an overall dim view of Porter, the progressive firebrand who gained fame for whiteboard presentations on subjects like income inequality, according to the poll. Thirty percent of voters see her favorably, compared to 34% unfavorable and 37% with no opinion.
Earlier surveys showed Porter leading the pack, but she was soon raked over the coals after footage of her melting down during an interview emerged. In response to a question about Trump voters, a visibly irritated Porter scoffed at CBS News reporter Julie Watts and threatened to end the interview as cameras rolled.
The unflattering clip revived claims that the three-term representative is a bully boss, with an ex -staffer calling her “downright mean.” In another resurfaced clip, Porter berated an aide during a virtual conversation, snapping “Get out of my f—ing shot!” at a staffer seen over her shoulder.
Porter’s campaign has been contacted for comment.
The uncomfortable anecdotes apparently haven’t helped Porter’s chances, with Swalwell holding a slight edge at 12% among Democrats in the race. Former LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa ranks a distant third in the poll at 5%, followed by Steyer at 4% and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra at 4%. Thirty-one percent are undecided.
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