Transgender activist and former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner announced that she would run for governor of California. The prominent television personality would challenge Gov. Gavin Newsom in the recall election this year.
Jenner, a Republican, in a tweet wrote on Friday, “I’m in! California is worth fighting for,” along with her political reasoning.
Along with the announcement, the Olympic gold medal winning decathlete Jenner launched a website. Jenner took aim at the Democrats one-party lock on the deep blue state for the past decade in her statement.
“California has been my home for nearly 50 years. I came here because I knew that anyone, regardless of their background or station in life, could turn their dreams into reality,” she stated in an announcement on her website.
“But for the past decade, we have seen the glimmer of the Golden State reduced by one-party rule that places politics over progress and special interests over people,” it further read.
I’m in! California is worth fighting for. Visit https://t.co/a1SfOAMZQ3 to follow or donate today. #RecallNewsom pic.twitter.com/9yCck3KK4D
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) April 23, 2021
Caitlyn Jenner has filed initial paperwork to run and has hired several well-known Republican operatives to guide her through the campaign. The advisory team involves 2016 and 2020 Donald Trump presidential campaign pollster Tony Fabrizio and Steven Cheung, a Trump White House and re-election campaign aide who worked Arnold Schwarzenegger's, also a Republican, successful 2003 gubernatorial recall election victory in California.
Newsom, who is a Democrat, has come under attack for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, therefore, a recall election is reportedly due in California.
Other than Jenner, three other Republican candidates are in the race against Gavin Newsom: John Cox, a businessman, Kevin Faulconer, the former mayor of San Diego and Doug Ose, a former US congressman.
On the other hand, no other Democrat has participated in the race, and elected Democrats have constantly pledged to stick by Newsom, helping to gain support among Latino, Asian and Black voters in particular.