Katie Porter raises over $2 million in first quarter

Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) raised more than $2 million in the first quarter of 2021, according to forms filed with the Federal Election Commission.

According to the forms, Porter raised $2.14 million in the first three months of the year. She managed to outraise all six other U.S. representatives from Orange County, Calif., combined, The Orange County Register reported.

Among California representatives, this amount places Porter behind only House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R), who raised around $4 million and $3 million, respectively.

In Orange County, the Register reported that Republican first-term Reps. Young Kim and Michelle Steel tied for second behind Porter, with both representatives raising over $540,000 in the first quarter.

Porter’s only current competitor in the midterm elections for California’s 45th District, GOP candidate Brian Burley, has raised nearly $33,000 from individuals in the past three months, the Register reported. Porter managed to easily hold on to her seat in the 2020 election, beating her Republican opponent, Greg Raths.

Since flipping the traditionally Republican 45th District in 2018, Porter has quickly become one of the most prominent Democratic representatives in Congress, garnering widespread attention online for her frequent use of whiteboards during congressional hearings and her frank, direct questions.

The newspaper notes that the Republican Party is planning to focus on Porter’s district in the upcoming elections, though the early fundraising numbers indicate she will have a larger campaign bank account to defend the seat.