If Harris stepped in, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis would probably pivot from the governor’s race to state treasurer. Others likely to exit include former state legislative leader Toni Atkins, former state controller Betty Yee and state schools chief Tony Thurmond.

Former congresswoman Katie Porter on Tuesday announced her 2026 candidacy for governor of California. "What California needs now is a little bit of hope and a whole lot of grit. Fresh blood and new ideas.

The list of candidates for California's next governor has grown with the addition of the former Democratic U.S. House member.

Porter focused on protecting Californians from President Trump's policies, a theme that is expected to be a throughline in next year's gubernatorial contest.

Former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter is the latest politician joining the competitive 2026 race for California governor. All eyes are on former Vice President Kamala Harris.

The California governor’s race isn’t waiting for former Vice President Kamala Harris to make up her mind whether she’s going to run. Former Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, who represented Orange County in the US House for three terms,

Former Democratic Rep. Katie Porter is running for governor of California, injecting another well-known name into the race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The former congresswoman is the most prominent candidate so far to start a campaign in the 2026 contest. But the race could be upended if former Vice President Kamala Harris decides to run.

The announcement comes as former vice president Kamala Harris considers her own run for the seat or a possible 2028 presidential run.

Former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter announced her run for governor last week, touting a message of “grit and hope.”