In the first Senate campaign event following the passing of Senator Dianne Feinstein, Representative Katie Porter strongly criticized corporate Democrats in Sacramento, California. This event, hosted by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, prohibited direct attacks among candidates, but Porter made pointed remarks aimed at setting herself apart from her Democratic rivals, Representative Barbara Lee and Representative Adam Schiff.
Recent developments, including Feinstein’s passing and the appointment of labor advocate Laphonza Butler to serve out her remaining term, have intensified the competition in one of the nation’s most hotly contested political races.
Porter, who has been polling just slightly behind Schiff for several months, positioned herself as an energetic newcomer capable of fixing a broken system. This contrasted with her opponents, who have each spent over two decades in Congress. She emphasized her reputation as a staunch opponent of Wall Street and criticized Lee and Schiff for accepting contributions from corporate PACs in the past, despite their pledges to reject such money in this race.
Porter stated, “I am the only candidate on this stage who has never cashed those checks. This wasn’t a decision I made because I’m running for the Senate. This is who I am.”
Securing the support of labor unions is a critical objective for any Californian seeking statewide office, and it’s becoming even more vital as three Democrats with similar voting records approach the Senate primary in March. Further complicating the situation is the uncertainty of whether Laphonza Butler will run for a full term next year, potentially dividing the Democratic vote.
Porter also criticized the Democratic party for failing to raise the federal minimum wage and for not going far enough in negotiating the Inflation Reduction Act, which only regulates the prices of some medications under Medicare.
She consistently linked the problems in Washington to corporate greed and the inaction of Democrats who had accepted donations from special interests, emphasizing her mission to reform the system.
The forum revealed the similarities among the three candidates in terms of their support for progressive priorities, including a single-payer healthcare system, student debt forgiveness, and passing the PRO Act to expand labor protections.
However, there were some notable differences. Lee called for a $50 hourly federal minimum wage, while Schiff and Porter proposed $25 and $20, respectively. The candidates also had varying views on whether there should be term limits for members of Congress. Schiff opposed the idea, attributing the issue to gerrymandering, while Lee believed that term limits would hinder democracy. Porter expressed indecision but considered it a necessary conversation.
As the youngest candidate on the stage, Porter stressed the importance of having younger representation in the government, advocating for multi-generational leadership.
One significant difference emerged in their responses to the recent attacks in Israel by Gaza militants. Schiff offered unequivocal support for Israel, while the other candidates took more progressive positions. Lee called for a ceasefire, a stance that has garnered criticism from other left-leaning Democrats. Porter condemned the attacks, voiced support for Israel, and cautioned against sliding toward Islamophobia. She also placed some blame for the attacks on the U.S. government, stating it hadn’t taken a “strong enough” stance against Iran, which supports Hamas, although she didn’t specify whether her critique was aimed at the Biden administration or previous ones. She emphasized the importance of avoiding Islamophobia and civil rights violations in the wake of these events.
