Katie Porter, Iran hawk?

Rep. Katie Porter speaks during a meet and greet event at Black Hammer Brewing Company on May 8, 2023, in San Francisco, Calif. | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

THE BUZZ: Voters know Rep. Katie Porter as the whiteboard-wielding single mom from Orange County who drives a minivan and struggles with the high cost of groceries.

But it’s her under-the-radar opinions on a hot-button foreign policy issue that are driving the conversation in the California Senate race.

Porter, one of the three leading Democrats vying for the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s seat, raised eyebrows over the weekend for suggesting the surprise attack on Israel by Gaza militants was, in part, a result of American inaction in Iran.

She’s built her brand as an unwavering progressive on domestic issues, but the recent comments on the escalating international conflict, and the role of Iran that supports Hamas and Hezbollah fighters, offers unique insight into her priorities abroad as she runs for higher office.

“There are lost lives in Gaza and there are lost lives in Israel,” she said Sunday at a forum alongside Reps. Barbara Lee and Adam Schiff. “And it’s because the United States has allowed terrorism to flourish, and it’s refused to take a strong enough stance against Iran, who is backing Hamas and Hezbollah.”

It’s a talking point more often seen among centrists and Republicans (including former President Donald Trump), but Porter has good reason for embracing it. Orange County has the second-largest concentration of Iranian Americans in the country (behind LA County), and for years, Porter has been pushing for the federal government to take stronger action against the regime, especially its treatment of women.

It wasn’t clear whether Porter’s comments were aimed directly at the Biden administration, but she’s made no secret of her concerns in the past. Last fall, when the president stopped by Orange County in a rare campaign visit, Porter used the opportunity to hammer home the issue, saying later that she spoke directly to Biden and emphasized his advocacy for Iranian human rights.

The president took up the theme in his remarks to supporters at UC Irvine that same day.

“Iran has to end the violence against its own citizens simply exercising their fundamental rights,” he said, per the Orange County Register.

Among the leading Democrats, Porter is the least experienced in foreign policy — a critical component of serving in the upper chamber.

When asked about her relative lack of international experience on Sunday, Porter gave a nod to her teaching roots, and said she takes doing her homework “pretty seriously.”

“I don’t think we should want a senator who thinks they know it all,” she said. “We should want senators who are always winning to learn.”

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WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced.

Former major leaguer Steve Garvey hits during a old timers/celebrity game on July 3, 2011, in Anaheim, Calif. | Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo

BATTER UP — Republicans haven’t won a statewide race since 2006, but a former Los Angeles Dodger is pitching himself as an outsider who can help the GOP bring a fresh perspective — and starpower — to one of the most closely-watched races in the country.

Steve Garvey officially launched his bid for U.S. Senate today, joining three high-profile Democrats and two Republican candidates who have thus far failed to gain traction in the party.

He would ordinarily have little chance of making it to Washington, but with three (or potentially four) big-name Dems splitting the vote, some Republicans hope a candidate with a high name ID and lots of cash could consolidate enough voters to make it into the top two in 2024.

Garvey said in an interview he’s been approached by Democrats and Republicans about running for office for more than two decades, and now, given California’s struggles with affordability and public safety, he’s ready to jump in.

“When I started having people come up and say, ‘You know, I’m a Giants fan and I hate the Dodgers, but I’ll vote for you,’ I said, ‘Well, I guess that’s enough,’” he told Playbook.

A poll from the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, released in September before Feinstein’s death, ranked Garvey as the top choice among 7 percent of voters, the same as fellow Republicans Eric Early and James Bradley. That even division suggests all three GOP candidates would appeal to the same base of conservative voters.

Garvey spent much of the 1970s and 1980s as a first baseman for the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Berkeley poll found the 10-time National League All Star performed best among voters in the Inland Empire and North Coast/Sierras regions — and worst among those in the San Francisco Bay Area.

As we’ve seen with other statewide Republican candidates of late, Garvey isn’t taking a hardline stance on culture war issues. He values “free will and choice,” and vowed to honor Californians’ positions on abortion and same-sex marriage.

When it comes to Trump, Garvey didn’t commit to backing the former president or seeking his endorsement.

With less than five months until the primaries, the baseball legend needs to make up ground quickly, and even joked he’s starting about “$30 million behind.” He intends to use some of his own money in the campaign (without specifying a dollar amount), but said “Team Garvey is going to be a collaboration.”

At 74, he would be among the older candidates on the ballot. Lee is 77, Porter is 49 and Schiff is 63. Garvey said he’s fit for the job.

“I think I’m still pretty sharp,” he said. “And I work out five to six days a week.”

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: GOLDEN OUT THE GATE — It’s been less than two weeks since San Francisco Mayor London Breed got another major challenger, but she’s already facing a run for her money. Nonprofit executive Daniel Lurie raised more than $230,000 in the 13 days since he announced his candidacy, his campaign told Playbook.

It’s a sizable haul considering the city caps contributions at $500 per person. Lurie, an heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, will face Breed in next year’s election. His fundraising suggests the race will be highly competitive. Breed, by comparison, had $298,000 cash on hand as of June 30, and raised about $200,000 during the first six months of the year.

The mayor faces a tough road to reelection, largely due to voter frustration with the city’s homelessness and fentanyl addiction crises. Moreover, Lurie is competing with Breed for the support of the same base of moderate-leaning affluent donors. The mayoral race is also getting crowded: Supervisor Ahsha Safaí is running, and Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin hasn’t ruled it out.

WEEKEND WINNERS AND LOSERS — Gov. Gavin Newsom is plowing through the stack of bills on his desk ahead of the Oct. 14 deadline, issuing hundreds of vetoes and signatures over the weekend.

Just this morning the governor announced his approval of a marquee piece of mental health legislation. Senate Bill 43 by Susan Talamantes Eggman changes how the state defines “gravely disabled” and expands eligibility for conservatorships, the legal mechanism for involuntarily detaining someone with a severe mental health or substance abuse disorder.

“We are working to ensure no one falls through the cracks,” Newsom said in a statement. “And that people get the help they need and the respect they deserve.”

On Saturday, the governor rejected another attempt by the Legislature to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms. In his reasoning for vetoing San Francisco Sen. Scott Wiener’s Senate Bill 58, Newsom said the state needs to establish regulatory treatment guidelines before moving to decriminalizing possession.

But he left the door open for future legislation, praising magic mushrooms for their ability to treat mental illness and calling the drugs “an exciting frontier and California will be on the front-end of leading it.”

The governor also gave his signature to several high-profile progressive priorities, including approving Wiener’s Senate Bill 770, which authorizes the state to begin discussions with the federal government about establishing single-payer healthcare.

And starting in 2026, legislative staffers in the California Capitol will have the ability to form a union under Assembly Bill 1 by Tina McKinnor.

Newsom also signed Assembly Bill 418 by Jesse Gabriel, a first-in-the-nation ban on certain chemicals and additives in junk food. To sweeten the deal, the governor sent a bag of Skittles back with his signature.

Per eagle-eyed lobbying veteran Chris Micheli, Newsom acted on more than 465 bills over the weekend — a record. So far he’s completed nearly 800 measures, with a veto rate of 19.5 percent, Micheli added.

TEAM(STERS) SCHIFF — Schiff has picked up his seventh statewide labor endorsement for his U.S. Senate bid, this time from the California Teamsters union.

Teamsters Western Region International Vice President Peter Finn said in a statement Schiff would hold the line on automation and self-driving vehicles, pointing to an autonomous trucking bill that won unified support from the three Senate candidates only to be vetoed by Newsom. Schiff has eclipsed his Democratic rivals in accumulating union support but we’re waiting to see if Sen. Laphonza Butler enters the contest with labor backing.

— Jeremy B. White

PLANES, TRAINS AND AN APPOINTMENT: Newsom’s appointment of Butler came after a madcap 48 hours following Feinstein’s death. Our colleagues Christopher Cadelago and Melanie Mason retrace how Newsom navigated the decision while grieving the late senator, who had given him advice for decades. Choosing Butler ultimately allowed Newsom to outline a vision for generational change in California Democratic politics. The whirlwind appointment — and getting Butler to the West Coast quickly — also presented its share of logistical nightmares. (POLITICO)

STATUS QUO: One year after a leaked audio recording roiled LA city politics, many Black residents say little has changed. The recording, which captured City Council members making derogatory comments about Black people and others, laid bare racial tensions in the city. (Los Angeles Times)

BIRTHDAYS — California Gov. Gavin Newsom … Fox Corp.’s Brian Nick … Raj Shah … NYT’s Adam Nagourney … Sam Feinburg … Tanveer Kathawalla … Don Burnette …

(was Monday): Julia Schechter …

(was Sunday): Blain Rethmeier … Lillie Belle Viebranz …

(was Saturday): Hanson Smith

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