Caitlyn Jenner Announces Run for Governor of California: 'I'm In!'
Caitlyn Jenner has launched a bid to become California’s next governor amid an effort to recall Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, stating, “I’m in!”
The former Olympic decathlete, who changed his name to Caitlyn after publicly announcing he identified as a transgender woman in 2015, broke the news on Friday morning in a statement posted on social media.
In that statement, Jenner said paperwork to take on Newsom had been filed and that more information about a gubernatorial bid would follow in the coming weeks.
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
“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,” Jenner said. “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.”
“Sacramento needs an honest leader with a clear vision,” the former reality TV star said.
Jenner slammed Newsom for the state’s high taxes and coronavirus restrictions.
“This isn’t the California we know,” Jenner said. “This is Gavin Newsom’s California, where he orders us to stay home but goes out to dinner with his lobbyist friends.”
“I have been a compassionate disrupter throughout my life, from representing the United States and winning a gold medal at the Olympics to helping advance the movement for equality,” Jenner said. “I’m in!”
Jenner vowed to act as an “outsider who can put an end to Gavin Newsom’s disastrous time as governor,” concluding it is time to “finally clean up the damage Newsom has done to this state.”
Axios reported on Friday that Jenner had consulted with Brad Parscale, the one-time campaign manager to former President Donald Trump.
The outlet further reported, having spoken to someone close to Jenner, that the 1976 Associated Press’ Male Athlete of the Year will run as a Republican.
That individual described Jenner, 71, as “very socially liberal.”
“She’s running as someone that’s socially liberal and fiscally conservative,” the person stated, adding that Jenner would run as a non-Trump Republican.
“Certainly she has not seen eye-to-eye with [Trump] on a lot of things,” the person told Axios. “I think that Caitlyn will talk to anyone, Democrat or Republican. Donald Trump is not going to be the deciding factor for the state of California.”
Newsom has not commented on any of the candidates seeking to unseat him in an almost certain recall election. The governor did, last month, criticize that recall effort as being “partisan” on Twitter.
I won’t be distracted by this partisan, Republican recall — but I will fight it.
There is too much at stake.
Getting Californians vaccinated, our economy safely reopened, and our kids back in school are simply too important to risk.
Join us: https://t.co/Jfpe1IlF4m
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) March 15, 2021
A special election has not yet been scheduled, but recall organizers previously announced their petition to force a new vote had surpassed the minimum signatures required to trigger the process.
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