Nearly 30 former staffers are backing Katie porter asviral clips of her heated momentscontinue to dog her campaign for California governor.
The ex-employees from her congressional office and past campaignsbrushed off the footage as misleadingin a letter sent to the Southern California News Group Monday.
“The traits that make Katie effective don’t always look soft around the edges,” they wrote toThe Orange County Register, calling the videos “a caricature built from a few clips on a bad day” and not the leader who “shows up for her team.”
The show of support comes just weeks before ballots go out in a wide-open race with no clear Democratic frontrunner.
Porter is pollingnear the topof the Democratic pack alongsidebillionaire Tom Steyerand former Health and Human ServicesSecretary Xavier Becerra.
The field shifted after Eric Swalwelldropped outamid sexual assault allegations he denies.
Still, RepublicansChad Bianco, the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator, andSteve Hilton, a former Fox News host, have consistently led polls, sparking fears Democrats could be shut out of the general election entirely.
A recent CaliforniaDemocratic Party surveyput Hilton and Bianco ahead, followed by Becerra, Steyer and Porter.
The controversy stems from two viral moments.
In October, Portedclashed with CBS reporterJulie Watts, growing visibly frustrated over questions about winning overDonald Trump supportersand at one point threatening to end the interview.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
