In a shocking outburst, Democratic Representative Katie Porter showed that “hell hath no fury like a Democrat defeated.” Porter recently ran in the race for Dianne Feinstein’s vacant Senate seat, and was left trailing behind her Democratic opponent, Adam Schiff, and Republican challenger, Steve Garvey.
Porter’s amplified anger can be traced back to the start of her campaign, when she announced her bid for the Senate before Feinstein had even announced her retirement. This behavior was seen as disrespectful towards the longtime senator and may have played a part in Porter’s eventual defeat.
There were many factors that contributed to Porter’s loss, with one of the major ones being her attacks on corporations and the establishment in Washington D.C. However, her promises to shake up the Senate carried little weight, as she has been in Washington for five years herself.
To make matters worse, Porter’s public comments following her loss have drawn heavy criticism. In a tweet, she blamed her defeat on “billionaires spending millions to rig this election,” a statement that reeks of hypocrisy.
Please find a statement from me below. pic.twitter.com/as8H2cHWL8
— Katie Porter (@katieporteroc) March 7, 2024
One Twitter user was quick to call out this double standard, stating, “You did the same thing you’re mad at Schiff for doing. Just stop. You sound like a sore loser.” Another user pointed out that Porter had also benefited from Super PAC money.
You also had a SUPER PAC supporting you.
And you did the same thing you're mad at Schiff for doing.
Just stop. You sound like a sore loser.https://t.co/JInZ5nrf5d
— Leia???? (@TheSWPrincess) March 7, 2024
In an attempt to clarify her statement, Porter released a statement defining what she meant by “rigged.” She claimed that “rigged” meant the election was “manipulated by dishonest means,” and that several billionaires had spent over $10 million on attack ads against her. She also mentioned that one of these ads had been rated “false” by an independent fact checker.
However, her attempt to defend her original statement only added fuel to the fire. Porter’s anger seems to be primarily directed towards Schiff, as he was able to outmaneuver her and secure a victory. It appears that she is more upset about him playing the game better than she did, rather than his donors supposedly rigging the election against her.
“rig this election” sounds just like a Trump. Do better
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) March 7, 2024
On top of burning bridges within her own party, Porter’s loss in the Senate race also means that she will have to vacate her House seat. This presents a potential opportunity for Republicans to win that seat, strengthening their hold in Congress.
Unfortunately for Porter, her anti-establishment rhetoric was not enough to guarantee a win against establishment candidates. This serves as a lesson for future Democrats looking to challenge the status quo – it takes more than just rhetoric to win over voters.