This article originally appeared on theDaily Caller News Foundationand was republished with permission.

Democratic California Gov. candidate Katie Porter inadvertently revealed the real reason leftist politicians are pushing for sanctuary cities.

Porter let the mask slip during Tuesday night’s gubernatorial debate and admitted that illegal immigration is one of “the only ways [California] has been growing in recent years,” seemingly embracing the replacement of American residents with foreigners. Notably, the deep blue state haswelcomedillegals to the tune of millions while an estimated 10 million California residents havefledthe state in the last decade.

“It’s the job of the California governor to protect every single Californian,” Porter said. “The sanctuary state policy is designed to make sure that our state resources, the taxpayer dollars, the public servants that we have, are focusing on doing their jobs, which is not cooperating with the federal immigration authorities.”

“These are Californians,” Porter said of illegal immigrants. “They contribute to our economy, they pay taxes, and they’re one of the only ways our state has been growing in recent years.”

Porter is one of many candidates vying to succeed Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom. She is one of eight Democrats running for the coveted role, but her past tenure in the House of Representatives doesn’t seem to be helping her odds in theovercrowdedprimary.

Porter is polling at 9% as of publication, putting the former representative at 5th place behind two other Democrats and both Republican candidates,accordingto RealClearPolling averages. Porter’s poll numbers havebarelychangeddespite former Democratic California Rep. Eric Swalwell’s alleged sex scandal, causing the once formidable candidate to drop out of the race and resign from Congress altogether.

Source: The Vigilant Fox