A candidate running for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District seat signed a letter in support of his former boss, who is running for California governor while facing backlash over a video of her yelling at a staffer.

Jordan Wood was the chief of staff of former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, D-California, who is a Democratic candidate in her state’s gubernatorial race. But some supporters fear a video that surfaced late last year of Porter yelling at a staffer could hamper her chances at the polls.

The Washington Post reported that Wood helped orchestrate the letter, which was signed by Wood and 29 other former staffers.

“Katie Porter is a friend, mentor, and fighter for working people and that’s why it was important for me to speak up,” Wood wrote in an emailed statement Wednesday. “Katie understands how to get things done in DC, hold the powerful to account, and that’s why I’m so proud of her endorsement of my campaign.“

Published by Politico in October, the video shows Porter yelling at a staffer to “get out of my (expletive) shot” after the staffer appeared in the background while attempting to correct the then-congresswoman during a virtual meeting with a Biden administration member in 2021. The letter seeks to soften the blow to Porter’s reputation following the video coming to light.

“We believe the public should understand the full person we know, not a caricature built
from a few clips on a bad day,” the letter from Porter’s former staffers reads. “Katie shows up for her team. When we were dealing with illness, grief, or family emergencies, she supported us in ways that were real and personal. She demanded a lot, but she also fought for us, mentored us, and stood by us when life got hard.”

The letter notes that many of the staffers have worked for other elected officials in their careers, and Porter’s “standards were among the highest. But that’s one reason we chose to work for her.”