Rep. Katie Porter addresses controversy over Senate announcement, claims she tried to reach out to Feinstein
'I was not able to connect,' Porter told the hosts of 'Morning Joe'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., told the hosts of "Morning Joe" on Thursday that she reached out to Sen. Dianne Feinstein's office before announcing her Senate bid for Feinstein's seat and added that they were unable to connect.
"Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough asked the newly elected representative if she tried to contact Feinstein before announcing her bid.
"Before I announced, I reached out to the senator. I was not able to connect. But I’m looking forward to hopefully getting a chance to have her call back and just sit down with her. She has so much to teach all of us. There is so much about her, her willingness to fight for the ban on assault weapons. Her ability to help expose torture at Guantanamo. She is an amazing leader and I’m looking forward to continuing to learn from her and to serve with her representing California in the Congress," Porter said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Scarborough also noted previous reporting about concerns over Feinstein's age and her ability to serve. He asked Porter if that was part of the reason she decided to throw her hat in the ring.
Rep. Katie Porter joins the hosts of "Morning Joe" on Thursday. (Screenshot/MSNBC/MorningJoe)
"Senator Feinstein is serving the people of California right now. She’s voting on bills and making a difference. My decision, and I really want to emphasize this, is mine. I am the kind of person who’s always been willing to step up and to lead. I think one of the things I learned from Senator Feinstein is you need to be willing to step up. You need to be willing to take on tough fights. That’s what I expect this Senate race to be. But I’ve always had tough campaigns and I’ve always won, and I hope this will be the same result," she said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Porter announced her 2024 Senate bid for Sen. Feinstein's California seat on Tuesday.
"Everyone is of course welcome to throw their hat in the ring, and I will make an announcement concerning my plans for 2024 at the appropriate time. Right now I’m focused on ensuring California has all the resources it needs to cope with the devastating storms slamming the state and leaving more than a dozen dead," Feinstein said in a statement regarding Porter's announcement.
Feinstein's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment about Porter's comments.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., speaks during a news conference after boycotting the vote by the Republican-led panel to advance the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to sit on the Supreme Court, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020, at the Capitol in Washington, as other Democratic committee members look on. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (AP)
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., endorsed Porter's Senate bid on Thursday.
"Katie delivers for California. She's smart, and she has a backbone made out of steel," Warren said in a video posted to Twitter. "We need her and her whiteboard in the United States Senate."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 06: U.S. Rep.-elect Katie Porter (D-CA) reads a book in the House Chamber during the fourth day of elections for Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 06, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
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Porter was just re-elected to California's 47th Congressional seat in the 2022 midterms.
Fox News Digital reached out to Feinstein's office for comment, but did not hear back.