Rep. Katie Porter.Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty
Democratic Rep.Katie Porteris ready for something bigger, announcing Tuesday that she will run forDianne Feinstein’s California Senate seat in 2024. Feinstein, the longest-serving female senator in history, is widely expected to step down when her term ends.
“The threat from so-called leaders likeMitch McConnellhas too often made the United States Senate a place where rights get revoked, special interests get rewarded and our democracy gets rigged. Especially in times like these, California needs a warrior in Washington,” Porter, 49, said in a video declaring her candidacy.
Porter, who joined Congress in 2019 as a representative of Irvine, California, and its surrounding areas, has quickly built a reputation for calling out corporations in hearings — often while holding up an oversized chart that helps demonstrate her point.
“I don’t do Congress the way others do,” Porter continued in the video. “I use whatever power I have to speak hard truths to the powers that be — to not just challenge the status quo, but call it out, name names and demand justice.”
Porter’s ruthless approach to advocating for consumers in Congress has made her a standout in the Democratic Party, though she is far from a shoo-in for the Senate seat.
California has 52 representatives in the House and countless noteworthy regional leaders, many of whom would love the rare opportunity to fill a vacant Senate seat. Fellow Democratic Reps.Adam SchiffandBarbara Lee, who have several years of congressional experience on Porter, have already been rumored to be eyeing 2024 Senate campaigns.
Porter’s early announcement will allow her to get a head start on fundraising and establish herself as a serious candidate while possible challengers figure out their plans.
“Everyone is of course welcome to throw their hat in the ring, and I will make an announcement concerning my plans for 2024 at the appropriate time,” Feinstein told media in a statement on Tuesday. “Right now I’m focused on ensuring California has all the resources it needs to cope with thedevastating stormsslamming the state andleaving more than a dozen dead.”
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source: people.com
