Controversial Dem abruptly ends bonkers interview after repeatedly berating reporter: 'I don't care'

Controversial Dem abruptly ends bonkers interview after repeatedly lashing out at reporter

California Dem. gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter went viral Tuesday evening after a clip from a recent interview spread across social media showing her repeatedly lashing out at a reporter. (Credit: CBS News California) 

California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter went viral Tuesday evening after a clip from a recent interview spread across social media showing her repeatedly lashing out at a reporter and trying to end the interview.

"What do you say to the 40% of CA voters who you'll need in order to win, who voted for Trump?" Porter was asked by CBS California's Julie Watts during a segment on the controversial redistricting effort launched by Democrats in the state. 

"How would I need them in order to win, ma'am?" Porter, considered by many to be the frontrunner in the race, responded.

"Well, unless you think you're going to get 60% of the vote," the reporter, asking about the voter breakdown of Democrats and Republicans in the state, said before Porter started laughing. 

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Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) speaks to supporters, volunteers, and staff at an election night watch party at the Hilton Orange County Hotel on November 8, 2022 in Costa Mesa, California. (Getty)

Porter then went back and forth with the reporter, arguing about whether she needs to court and win over Trump voters, particularly if she's running head-to-head against another Democrat. 

"So you don't need them to win," Watts asked Porter.

"I feel like this is unnecessarily argumentative," Porter said, prompting the reporter to point out that she had asked the same question to the other candidates in the race and they answered it.  

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Rep. Katie Porter on "The View." (Screenshot/ABC/TheView)

"I don't want to keep doing this, I'm going to call it," Porter said. 

"You're not going to do the interview?" Watts said as Porter tried to remove her microphone. 

"Nope, not like this I'm not, not with seven follow-ups to every single question you ask," Porter responded. 

When Watts reminded Porter that every candidate had answered the question, Porter said, "I don't care."

Porter told Watts after being pressed even more that she doesn't "want to have an unhappy experience with you" and that she doesn't "want this all on camera."

The clip quickly went viral on social media, with conservatives blasting Porter for struggling with follow-up questions.

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Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., shows her book to Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., during the 15th vote to elect a Speaker of the House early Saturday morning, January 7, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

"This Katie Porter crashout is INCREDIBLE," Republican communicator Matt Whitlock posted on X. 

"What a mean, spoiled brat Katie Porter is to a journalist asking a very normal/straight forward question," conservative commentator Meghan McCain posted on X. "The rumors in DC were always she’s an absolute nightmare - and as usual, people always reveal themselves."

"Democrats in California aren’t challenged by the media very often," Trump administration special envoy Richard Grenell posted on X. "@katieporteroc implodes when asked a follow up question. She isn’t ready to be Governor. She’s downright embarrassing."

Fox News Digital reached out to Porter's campaign for comment.

Watts addressed the heated moment in a post on X saying, "Since this 3min excerpt of 30min segment went viral, we decided to post it ourselves. But I’d encourage you to watch the full segment."

Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to [email protected].

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