Katie Porter Campaigns in Bakersfield, Warns of Trump Administration Attacks on California

Democratic gubernatorial candidate criticizes Trump policies and vows to fight the administration if elected.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 1:19am

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Former Congresswoman Katie Porter, a Democratic candidate for California governor, made a campaign stop in Bakersfield where she criticized the Trump administration and warned that it is 'coming to attack California.' Porter said the Trump policies have made things less affordable for Californians and pledged to fight the administration if elected.

Why it matters

The race for California governor is heating up with eight Democrats and two Republicans vying for the seat. Porter's campaigning style of aggressively opposing the Trump administration matches that of other progressive candidates like Tom Steyer and Eric Swalwell, who see criticizing the former president as politically advantageous.

The details

During her Bakersfield event, Porter said 'We have an administration that has made clear that it is coming to attack California.' When asked how opposing Trump would help make California more affordable, Porter said 'A lot of what Donald Trump has been doing is driving things to be less affordable.' Political strategist Matt Klink said that attacking Trump is 'the ticket to get into the dance' for Democratic candidates, as they share a common approach toward the current administration despite differing on policy details.

  • Porter made the campaign stop in Bakersfield on April 1, 2026, with just over two months until the California primary election.

The players

Katie Porter

A former Democratic Congresswoman who is running for California governor.

Donald Trump

The former president whose administration Porter has vowed to fight against if elected.

Matt Klink

The founder and president of Klink Campaigns Inc., a political consulting firm.

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What they’re saying

“We have an administration that has made clear that it is coming to attack California.”

— Katie Porter, Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate

“A lot of what Donald Trump has been doing is driving things to be less affordable.”

— Katie Porter, Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate

“If you're a Democratic candidate the advantages of attacking Donald Trump is the first thing you do when you wake up and the last thing you do when you go to bed, that's just good politics.”

— Matt Klink, Founder and President, Klink Campaigns Inc.

What’s next

With the California primary just over two months away, Porter and other Democratic candidates will likely continue to campaign aggressively against the Trump administration in an effort to energize their base and appeal to voters concerned about the former president's policies.

The takeaway

Porter's campaign strategy of strongly opposing the Trump administration aligns with other progressive Democratic candidates in the race for California governor. This approach appears to be a politically savvy move, as criticizing the former president is seen as an effective way to rally the party's base and appeal to voters concerned about the impact of Trump-era policies.