Katie Porter hints at a possible run for governor of California

Katie Porter hinted on social media Wednesday that she may be entering the race for California governor.

“I am grateful that Californians recognize that we need fresh voices in our politics who are not afraid to say nonsense, whether from Republicans or Democrats.” Porter wrote in a post on Xwith a link to a story about a poll that showed she would be a front-runner if she ran for governor in 2026. “Our next governor must be fully focused on solving Californians’ biggest challenges, especially the cost of living.”

Porter is not running for re-election in her Southern California congressional district after an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate earlier this year. She has not officially announced that she will seek to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom when his term expires in two years.

Porter's office did not immediately respond to a question about whether she was considering a run for governor.

The poll cited by Porter found her leading 12 other potential candidates — only some of whom have officially entered the race — by nearly double digits in the 2026 gubernatorial election. When asked who they would vote for if the election were held today, 14 percent of likely voters named Porter as their first choice.

The poll showed Republican state Sen. Brian Dahle — who unsuccessfully ran for office against Newsom in 2022 — in second place with 5.3 percent. Dahle has not announced whether he will run for governor again, but has launched a campaign website and fund to run for lieutenant governor in 2026.

The survey was conducted in mid-September by researchers from CSU Long Beach, the University of Southern California and Cal Poly Pomona.

Reach Sophia Bollag: [email protected]; Twitter: @SophiaBollag; Reach Molly Burke: [email protected]