SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Consumer Federation of California announced Thursday that it has endorsed Katie Porter and Tom Steyer ahead of California’s June 2 primary election, citing both candidates’ engagement with consumer protection policy and proposals addressing affordability concerns affecting residents statewide.
The endorsement, released May 21, followed a series of candidate interviews conducted by the organization as part of its evaluation process. According to CFC, the decision reflects growing concern over the cost of living in California, including housing prices, utility costs and other essential expenses that continue to place financial strain on consumers across the state.
“After interviewing multiple candidates, the Consumer Federation of California decided that two merited our endorsement, Katie Porter and Tom Steyer,” said CFC Executive Director Robert Herrell. “Both were well versed on consumer protection issues and had concrete proposals to help consumers given that affordability issues squeeze Californians each day.”
Herrell stated that while the organization typically endorses a single candidate in gubernatorial primaries, the current election cycle and the qualifications of both Porter and Steyer led CFC to issue a dual endorsement. According to the organization, both candidates demonstrated a strong understanding of consumer-focused policy areas, particularly those tied to affordability and corporate accountability.
“CFC doesn’t usually endorse more than one candidate, but given the nature of California’s governor race and the quality of these two candidates, we felt it was warranted here,” Herrell said in the release. “Both Katie Porter and Tom Steyer would make an excellent governor of California.”
According to the Consumer Federation of California, the endorsement decision was based on interviews with multiple candidates assessing their positions on consumer protection issues. The organization stated that Porter and Steyer stood out with their responses and policy approaches related to rising costs affecting California households.
CFC also highlighted participation from other candidates during the outreach process. The organization noted that Chad Bianco engaged in discussions with CFC representatives and was described by Herrell as having “common ground on certain issues,” according to the press release.
However, CFC stated that several candidates, including former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and political commentator Steve Hilton, declined interview requests despite repeated attempts to contact them. According to the organization, it hopes those candidates, should they advance to the November general election, will participate in future discussions regarding consumer protection and affordability policies.
CFC emphasized that candidate engagement was an important part of the endorsement process, particularly on affordability, which remains one of the most significant political issues facing California voters today. Both Porter and Steyer demonstrated familiarity with consumer protection frameworks and approaches to addressing cost-of-living pressures.
Consumer affordability continues to be a major issue in California, where residents are facing persistent increases in housing costs, high rents, insurance expenses and the cost of everyday necessities. Advocacy organizations across the state have increasingly focused on regulatory and legislative approaches aimed at improving pricing transparency, as well as strengthening consumer protections.
According to CFC, both endorsed candidates expressed support for strengthening consumer protection policies and addressing economic pressures affecting households. The organization described both Porter and Steyer as aligned with its mission of prioritizing consumer interests over corporate profit in regulatory and legislative decision-making.
The Consumer Federation of California, founded in 1960, is a nonprofit advocacy organization focused on consumer rights and policy reform. According to the organization, it has historically supported laws and regulations intended to strengthen consumer protections.
The endorsement comes as California prepares for its June 2 primary election, where voters will decide which candidates advance to the November general election. Consumer advocacy groups, including CFC, have continued to emphasize affordability and cost-of-living issues as central concerns in statewide political debates leading up to the election.
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