Caitlyn Jenner launches campaign for California governor in Newsom recall election

Caitlyn Jenner, the former Olympian turned reality TV star, officially launched her bid for California governor Friday morning after weeks of speculation that she would run to unseat Gov. Gavin Newsom in a recall election.

In a statement, Jenner, 71, said she’s running because “California is worth fighting for.”

“California has been my home for nearly 50 years,” said Jenner, a Republican. “I came here because I knew that anyone, regardless of their background or station in life, could turn their dreams into reality. 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.”

Jenner first came into the public eye in the 1970s when she won a gold medal in the decathlon during the 1976 Olympic Games.

Later, she would marry Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner and was a co-star with her family on the reality TV show, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” In 2015, Jenner publicly came out as a transgender woman.

Jenner enters a potentially crowded field days before the recall petition is expected to qualify for the ballot. Other candidates include former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, businessman John Cox, and former GOP Rep. Doug Ose. In the 2003 recall of Gov. Gray Davis, 135 candidates ran on the ballot.

Following Jenner’s announcement, Newsom’s campaign sent out a fundraising email asking for donations to help him combat “her personal wealth and and ability to raise money from right-wing donors.”

“This is a critical day for our campaign to stop the recall,” Newsom’s team wrote in the email to donors. “We need to take this seriously.”

Jenner is estimated to have a net worth of $100 million, and many of her family members have significant personal wealth as well, though it’s not clear whether they plan to contribute to her campaign.

Over the next few weeks, Jenner said she plans to meet with Californians across the state. She criticized Newsom for his “over-restrictive” COVID-19 policies and delays in reopening schools.

“This isn’t the California we know, this is Gavin Newsom’s California, where he orders us to stay home but goes out to dinner with his lobbyist friends,” Jenner said. “The significance of this decision is not lost on me. The sacrifice is significant but responsibility is great, and I can’t wait to lead, to help and most importantly to disrupt the status quo once again.”

This story was originally published April 23, 2021 at 7:34 AM with the headline "Caitlyn Jenner launches campaign for California governor in Newsom recall election."