Katie Porter launches campaign for 2024 Senate
Ryan King
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Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) jumped into the 2024 California Senate race on Tuesday, putting her hat in for the seat held by five-term Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), 89, whom some have speculated may retire.
Porter’s announcement preempted other speculated contenders such as Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), who had refrained from running for the top House Democrat post, and vowed to take the fight to leaders such as Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
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“California needs a warrior in the Senate — to stand up to special interests, fight the dangerous imbalance in our economy, and hold so-called leaders like Mitch McConnell accountable for rigging our democracy. Today, I’m proud to announce my candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 2024,” she tweeted.
Porter, a liberal star, had been reportedly mulling the move for some time. She recently won reelection in a very tight race during the midterm elections and has made a name for herself during heated confrontations with corporate executives during committee hearings in the lower chamber.
Feinstein has been coy about whether she will vie for reelection but welcomed the competition while declining to elaborate on her plans for 2024 in response to Porter’s announcement.
“Everyone is of course welcome to throw their hat in the ring, and I will make an announcement concerning my plans for 2024 at the appropriate time. Right now I’m focused on ensuring California has all the resources it needs to cope with the devastating storms slamming the state and leaving more than a dozen dead,” Feinstein said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), 89, notably ran for reelection during the midterm elections in 2022 despite questions about his age. Porter did not mention Feinstein in her campaign video but pledged to take on special interests should she win the Senate seat.
“I work for California — not a political party, and certainly not corporate donors. I refuse money from corporate PACs, federal lobbyists, and executives from Big Oil, Big Pharma, and Wall Street banks. Our campaign is fueled by grassroots support,” Porter added.
Last year, Feinstein filed preliminary paperwork needed to run for reelection, keeping the door open. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) easily sailed to election victory in the midterm elections to lock down his first full term after replacing his predecessor, Kamala Harris, who departed the post to become vice president.
https://twitter.com/katieporteroc/status/1612834229179777027?s=20
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The Washington Examiner contacted a Feinstein spokesperson for comment. Other speculated contenders for the seat include Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Barbara Lee (D-CA).
The 2024 election cycle is poised to be a contentious map for Democrats, with 20 in the party and three Democratic-aligned senators up for reelection compared to 11 Republicans. The party managed to pick up one Senate seat from Pennsylvania in the most recent midterm elections.