Fierce Debate Erupts Between Rep. Katie Porter and Rep. Adam Schiff in California Senate Race

Los Angeles – Rep. Katie Porter’s Senate Debate Strategy

Intensity Rises Between Porter and Schiff

Porter’s strategy in the Senate debate on Tuesday was evident from her first answer: Provoke fellow Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff into an argument, which eventually occurred. The final on-stage meeting saw the most intense clash yet between Porter and Schiff, the consistent polling frontrunner for the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s seat. With two weeks before the March 5 primary, Porter acted as if she faced the highest stakes, aiming to avoid being excluded from the November general election by the Republican ex-baseball phenom, Steve Garvey.

Targeting Opponents and Critiquing

Throughout the evening, Porter targeted Garvey and critiqued Schiff, accusing him of being tied to corporate interests and outdated Washington practices. The bipartisan border security bill put the Democratic candidates in a tough spot, with Schiff and Porter opposing it, while Lee spoke out against the package before it failed. Lee's strategy was to share her life story to contrast herself from her opponents. Garvey's debate formula was heavy on platitudes and light on details, with some statements being factually inaccurate. Instead of giving a direct answer, he focused on maintaining security for Californians and Americans. Porter used this opportunity to portray him as equivocal on Trump and expressed concern about Eric Early, a conservative candidate.