Rep. Katie Porter, a Democratic star known for her incisive questioning of corporate leaders and use of a whiteboard to distill complex concepts in congressional hearings, announced Tuesday that she is running for the U.S. Senate.
The Irvine, California, attorney is running for the seat widely expected to be vacated by Sen. Dianne Feinstein. The trailblazing San Francisco politician, 89, was first elected to the Senate in 1992, but has faced questions in recent years about her mental fitness for office and has stepped back from some official duties. Her current term ends in early 2025.
“The threat from so-called leaders like Mitch McConnell has too often made the United States Senate the place where rights get revoked, special interests get rewarded, and our democracy gets rigged,” Porter said in a video announcing her run. “Especially in times like these, California needs a warrior in Washington, and that’s exactly why I’m announcing my candidacy for the United States Senate in 2024.”
