Reality star and transgender icon
Caitlyn Jenner announced on Friday that she is running for governor
of California in a likely recall election against Gavin Newsom, a
Democrat.
“I'm in!” the former Olympic gold
medalist said in a tweet. “California is worth fighting for.”
Jenner, a Republican, makes history as
the first high-profile transgender person to seek a governor's
office.
In announcing her bid, Jenner
criticized Newsom's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, promising
she would “clean up” the “damage Newsom has done to this
state.”
“Small businesses have been
devastated because of the over-restrictive lockdown,” Jenner said
in a press release announcing her campaign. “An entire generation
of children have lost a year of education and have been prevented
from going back to school, participating in activities, or
socializing with their friends. Taxes are too high, killing jobs,
hurting families, and putting an especially heavy burden on our most
vulnerable people.”
Helping Jenner in her effort is Brad
Parscale, former President Donald Trump's former campaign manager.
According to Axios, Parscale, a personal friend of Jenner's, isn't
planning on taking an official title on the campaign.
Equality California, the state's
largest LGBT rights advocate, said in a tweet that Jenner was a “hard
pass” for them.
“Make no mistake: we can't wait to
elect a #trans governor of California,” the group said. “But
@Caitlyn_Jenner spent years telling the #LGBTQ+ community to trust
Donald Trump. We saw how that turned out. Now she wants us to trust
her? Hard pass.”
Jenner supported Trump in 2016, saying
that she would work with the administration on transgender issues.
She later admitted that was a mistake.
“Sadly, I was wrong,” Jenner wrote
in a 2018 op-ed. “Believing that I could work with Trump and his
administration to support our community was a mistake. … I do not
support Trump.”
Jenner's announcement comes as GOP
lawmakers in more than 20 states push anti-transgender bills.
(Related: GOP
lawmakers OK ten anti-LGBT bills.)
While the effort to recall Newsom has
yet to qualify for the fall ballot, Republicans are lining up for the
chance to face him at the ballot box.