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Rep. Katie Porter running for reelection in newly drawn California district

by Mychael Schnell - 12/21/21 1:07 PM ET

Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) said Monday she will run for reelection in a newly drawn California district next year, a decision that was made public after the state released its final maps for U.S. House districts ahead of next year’s midterm races.

Porter announced her decision on Monday, according to the Orange County Register. Her new district does not include her current House seat, but does encompass her hometown of Irvine.

The district leans Democratic by 1 point, according to the Orange County Register.

Jordan Wong, a spokesperson for Porter, told The Hill in a statement that the congresswoman is planning to run for reelection in the district that includes Irvine, where her children also attend school, noting that a majority of voters in the district have not been represented by her in the past.

“Roughly two-thirds of voters in the 47th District have not previously been represented by Congresswoman Porter, and she looks forward to introducing herself to these voters and running a positive and spirited campaign, as she did to win close races in 2018 and 2020,” he added.

Porter may now be forced to face off against Republican Rep. Michelle Steel (Calif.), who is based in Seal Beach, according to the Register. It’s also possible that Steel runs for reelection in a new House district that encompasses Little Saigon and areas of north Orange County.

That district is estimated to lean blue by roughly 5 percentage points, and be 38 percent Asian American, according to the Orange County Register. Steel is Korean American, the newspaper noted.

Porter raised more than $2 million in the first quarter of 2021, according to forms filed with the Federal Election Commission. Steel raised more than $540,000 during that same time period.

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Porter made headlines in January when she lost her seat on the House Financial Services Committee, which is one of five House panels considered “exclusive” by Democratic leaders after a waiver in which she requested to serve on that and other committees was rejected, in accordance with caucus rules adopted in July 2020.

Updated 4:19 p.m.

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