Democrat Harley Rouda ends comeback bid for Katie Porter’s seat following head injury
David Sivak
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A California Democrat is ending his bid to return to the House after sustaining a “moderate” traumatic brain injury last month.
Former Rep. Harley Rouda, who was running for Rep. Katie Porter‘s (D-CA) seat, told supporters on Tuesday that he will halt his campaign to represent California’s 47th Congressional District on the advice of his doctors after suffering a fall.
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https://twitter.com/HarleyRouda/status/1645834355011637249?s=20
“This is not the outcome I wanted. But my family comes first, and to be there for them, I need to focus fully on my recovery in the months ahead,” he said in a statement.
Rouda has “started on the path to full recovery,” his doctors said after hospital tests revealed brain hemorrhaging from the fall, which he called “a concerning diagnosis to say the least.”
His surprise announcement comes just three months after he launched his campaign. The Democrat, who lost a close race in 2020 to Republican Michelle Steele (CA) in Orange County, was mounting a comeback bid after Porter announced a run for Senate.
Rouda’s statement, which called for the election of “moderates who will work across the aisle,” underscores just how pivotal the 47th District will be next year. With a partisan lean of D+3, the seat will be one of the most competitive of the 2024 cycle.
“I believe we need to elect people who don’t care for antics, props, and sound bites, but care about serving the greater good. People who run for office to actually serve the people who elected them,” Rouda, who defeated 15-term Republican Dana Rohrabacher in 2018, said.
“I wanted to make our district and our country a better place. And I will continue to do as much as I can as a private citizen,” he added.
His Tuesday exit leaves state Sen. Dave Min, a Democrat, and former state Assemblyman Scott Baugh, a Republican, in the race. Baugh lost to Porter by 3 points in 2022 in a contest that was tighter than expected.
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Porter will now face a fierce Democratic primary against Reps. Adam Schiff (CA) and Barbara Lee (CA) as the three vie for retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-CA) seat.
Rouda had suspended a 2022 run for the House after redistricting would have forced him to challenge Porter, an incumbent.