A different type of email.

I’ve started this Substack account to go "beyond the whiteboard moments" and share some more in depth thoughts about policy, Congress, and our race for the U.S. Senate.

Hey there, 

It’s Katie Porter.

You might notice this email looks a little different than other emails I’ve sent.

I’ve started this Substack account to share with you some more in depth thoughts about topics that affect us all—from the House Speaker’s race (below!) to breaking down topics we cover in Congressional Hearings, this is my place to nerd out and share with you the things I couldn’t fit on the whiteboard. 

This Substack account will always be free. My goal here is just to reach people—something that has become increasingly difficult with the current state of social media. If you’d like to invite a friend to subscribe, I’d be so appreciative—you can do so here.

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My whiteboard, unfortunately, has not seen a lot of action this month. With the House speaker-less until today, we haven’t been able to accomplish much of anything. But today, Republicans finally unified behind Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson. This New York Times article tells you more about him.

The TLDR is that having a Speaker is good, but having Mike Johnson…not so great. Our new Speaker is anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-Social Security, anti-Medicare, and anti-democracy.

From a practical standpoint: It’s time for the House to get back to work. Government funding runs out on November 17th, so one of Johnson’s first tasks will be the very basic job of keeping our government open. Currently, he’s proposing a temporary funding patch to get us through mid-January, but the specifics remain unclear. He’ll also need to work with the White House and Senate to pass much needed aid for Israel and Ukraine.

From a political standpoint: Democrats need to flip just a few seats to regain the House majority, and the Democratic majority in the Senate remains razor thin. Kevin McCarthy was no moderate, but it’s now our job to show voters a different way forward, instead of the hard-right path the GOP continues to walk. 

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With less than five months before the primary election on Tuesday, March 5, we continue to build a powerful grassroots movement focused on progressive and practical policies. California needs a warrior in the U.S. Senate, and I can’t wait to share my views on how we can build a better California, and a more just America, together. More to come, and thanks for reading the very first edition of Beyond the Whiteboard.

Katie Porter