CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked former congresswoman and California gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter about her recent fundraising email titled “F*ck Trump,” questioning her about whether the sentiment would be a “guiding principle.”

Collins moderated Tuesday’s California governor’s primary debate, introducing her question to Porter by noting that the election’s winner would necessarily have to engage with President Donald Trump. 

“The next governor of California, as we all know and have talked about tonight, will have to work with President Trump for the next two years. Congresswoman Porter, you recently put out an email, a fundraising email with the subject line ‘F Trump.’ And you’re not censoring it like I am right now,” said Collins. “And you went on to say, quote, ‘That’s right, F Trump. Together, we’re going to kick Trump’s ass in November.’ Will F Trump be your guiding principle in dealing with the president?”

Porter doubled down on her combative stance towards the president, telling Collins that if Trump continued to go after California, she would continue to operate from her “F Trump” outlook.

“When Donald Trump hurts California, as he has again and again, then I will absolutely stand up to him 100%. He has denied wildfire funding to help disaster victims here in California. He has made it clear that he is seeking to specifically punish California in canceling green energy projects here that create good, high-paying jobs while he’s allowing them to continue in other states,” she said. “We absolutely have to be clear about the risk that Donald Trump presents to Californians and to our economy and to our ability to change California for the better. So if he’s going to attack California, yeah, F him.”

Porter’s email, sent just a day after the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, drew criticism from some on the right who called out the candidate for the timing of her sharp rhetoric.

“Katie Porter is a degenerate loser who is sick in the head, and it’s telling that failing Democrat candidates think their path to victory is to fan the flames of violence right after an assassination attempt,” Republican National Committee spokesman Nick Poche said in a statement to Fox News.

The former congresswoman has previously been criticized for aggressive moments, including an October interview that saw her abruptly end the conversation after she was dissatisfied with the reporter’s questions. Porter has repeatedly been accused of bullying by former colleagues and staff members, as well as creating the viral moment where she screamed at a staffer to “get out of my f***ing shot!” Porter’s campaign recently released a new ad that briefly poked fun at the comment.

Watch above via CNN.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!