Katie Porter Secures Key Endorsement for Gubernatorial Bid

LOS ANGELES — Former Rep. Katie Porter of Irvine received the endorsement of a prominent Democratic women’s group on Monday that supports candidates advocating for abortion rights. This endorsement could provide crucial funding and grassroots backing for Porter’s campaign to become California’s governor in 2026.

“Katie Porter has spent her career holding the powerful accountable, fighting to lower costs and taking on Wall Street and Trump administration officials to deliver results for California’s working families,” said Jessica Mackler, president of EMILY’s List.

EMILY’s List, which stands for Early Money Is Like Yeast, focuses on the importance of early fundraising for female candidates. Founded four decades ago, the organization promotes Democratic women who support legal abortion and has raised nearly $950 million to help elect such candidates across the nation, including funding Porter’s successful congressional campaign that flipped a GOP district in Orange County.

Porter expressed her gratitude for the endorsement, stating, “There’s nothing that Donald Trump hates more than facing down a strong, powerful woman. For decades, EMILY’s List has backed winner after winner, helping elect pro-choice Democratic women to public office. They were instrumental in helping me flip a Republican stronghold blue in 2018, and together I’m confident we will make history again.”

The race to succeed Gavin Newsom as California governor is wide open, drawing a large and diverse group of candidates. While the exact financial support from EMILY’s List remains uncertain, it is expected that the organization will focus on critical congressional races that could determine control of the House next year.

The gubernatorial race gained further dynamics after former Vice President Kamala Harris announced she would not run. Currently included in the mix are Sen. Alex Padilla and businessman Rick Caruso, who may also consider entering the race.

As of now, Porter, a UC Irvine law professor, holds a slight edge in polls among the competing Democrats. The primary election is set for June 2026. EMILY’s List typically refrains from endorsing in races with multiple female candidates but made an exception after former state Senate leader Toni Atkins dropped out in late September. Former state controller Betty Yee remains in the gubernatorial race.