Katie Porter Polls 5th in California Governor Primary as Only 2 Candidates Advance
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 29
Katie Porter Polls 5th in California Governor Primary as Only 2 Candidates Advance
10 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 29
Tuesday’s primary is leaving Katie Porter, the last prominent woman in California’s governor’s race, hovering around fifth place in polls, well outside the top two spots needed to reach November.
Two earlier female contenders who might have changed that picture never made it to this stage: Kamala Harris declined to run, and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis dropped out early.
California’s position stands out because more than 50 women have served as governor nationwide, and 14 states now have female governors — a record after this year’s inaugurations in New Jersey and Virginia.
The race is renewing scrutiny of why a state that brands itself as progressive has still never elected a woman governor, even as more conservative states have done so.
Are California's costly elections the real reason a woman has never held the state's top office?
Why does California's progressive reputation clash with its failure to elect a woman as governor?