Caitlyn Jenner has always been a Republican. Maybe we can call her a “California Republican,” which seems to be a bit different than the national GOP. But I remember watching E!’s I Am Cait and being startled to realize that part of Caitlyn’s trans journey was NOT a political education on which political party accepts her right to exist as a transgender woman. During the Trump years, Caitlyn tried to talk politics and people just told her to STFU, basically. In fairness, her political statements were always pretty dumb. But now that Californians are “mad” at Gov. Gavin Newsom, suddenly Caitlyn thinks she can take down the California Democrats.
Former reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner is talking with political consultants as she actively explores a run for governor of California, three sources with direct knowledge of her deliberations tell Axios. Why it matters: Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, is facing a recall election. A challenge from Jenner, a high-profile Republican and previous Trump supporter, would draw heightened attention to the race to lead the nation’s most populous state.
Jenner is being assisted in her consideration by Caroline Wren, a longtime GOP fundraiser. Wren initially met Jenner through her work with the American Unity Fund, a GOP nonprofit focused on LGBT issues. Wren previously worked at Trump Victory, a joint fundraising committee for President Trump’s 2020 campaign, and also helped organize the rally he addressed immediately before the U.S. Capitol assault on Jan. 6. A spokesman for Jenner declined to comment. Wren also declined to comment.
Republicans have launched a recall campaign against Newsom, angry about his immigration and tax policies. The effort gained momentum amid added criticism of the governor’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
I haven’t actually been following the recall drama in California but I assume a chunk of it is just disgruntled Californians mad at Newsom about the pandemic? I mean, California did seem to have a disorganized response to the pandemic, but… so did a lot of other states. I don’t know enough about internal CA politics to make a judgment call on Newsom or the recall efforts. But I do know that Caitlyn Jenner and her asinine, deep-as-a-puddle Republicanism AND barely-there trans-activism are not welcome on the national political stage. Republicans have never wanted her! She makes them uncomfortable. What makes ME uncomfortable is the fact that she’s already working with someone adjacent to the insurrection. I have no idea who Caroline Wren is, but it sounds like she’s a co-conspirator to sedition and insurrection.
Plus, Caitlyn would actually be a terrible governor! She just wants to golf and spend time with her 20-something girlfriend.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
Speaking as a Californian, I can just say this is so much BS. Everyone is so busy trying to get Newsom out of office, and not really considering the alternatives. ALSO! It’s just a waste of money! Next year is an election year. So we have a recall this year? Then we have a state wide election next year. The loons driving this recall are the worst of the worst and piggy backing on the QAnon extremism crazies.
Right? And these same folks were like “why you trying to impeach Trump when rhe election is in a year?”
These folks are dumb and CA has enough shit to deal with without a stupid recall of a Governor you dislike because he asked folks to wear masks, eat takeout, and teach their children at home…to you know, keep them healthy.
@ Nicole : and if you have a recall in 2021 followed by an election in 2022, I imagine you risk having voter fatigue for 2022. California voters will be too tired to care by the time the “real” election comes around and may be less likely to vote (again). Better to aim everything at 2022.
Amen, sister! We definitely do not need Caitlyn Jenner running our state.
Totally agree with above and honestly
WHO would be her demographic??
Hardcore Republicans want to make sure that people like her have NO RIGHTS…
Trans people do not feel she represents them-she’s had a rough go with them…
Democrats will not vote for her no matter how many issues they have with Newsom.. She has always been a raging repub…
Exactly. It’s the Qrazy Rs trying to do everything they can to gain power. There are a LOT of electoral votes (50) from California.
EVERYTHING and EVERY D Gov. was in turmoil at the beginning. Nothing will convince me the GQP didn’t “heads up” their Govs. (who chose to do nothing to help their populace pretty much down the line). I think Newsom did as good a job as he could, being sabotaged every step of the way (getting vent deals taken by Feds, then getting *broken* unusable* vents sent to us by the same Feds). He kept us updated and in the loop with localities to help.
My biggest peeve (with all the states) was while there was a “mask mandate”, it was never enforced. There *should have* been tickets for those not masking. That would’ve made a dent in this a lot faster.
This x1,000. CA right now has the lowest COVID positivity rates in the US. The SF Bay Area was the first in the nation to do a stay-at-home order. Newsom did what he could and I support him. “Recalling” a CA governor is way too easy…only 1.5million signatures in a state with 40million people. Oh and STOP IT with the celebrity politicians..no to the Rock, Caitlyn, Matthew, etc.
Thank you! I am so ticked off about Newsom, I forgot I wanted to put in something about that joke Jenner. This woman has NO IDEA about government, let alone what it REALLY takes to be a Gov. (esp. the one as large and diverse as CA). She couldn’t even raise her own kids to be contributing members of society (sorry, being. plastic filled blow-up dolls and leasing out your name to slap on as a company face doesn’t count).
I am SO SICK of these *&^%# celebutards thinking they can just “act” as Gov (and higher!!). The Rock has even put out that he’s “thinking” about running for PRESIDENT!!! That’s what his whole new, crappy show is about: he IS President, looking back over his life/how he got there.
NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!
Recalling Newsom is so stupid. He took action early in the pandemic, and it SAVED LIVES. In March 2020 I was talking with an expert in pandemics, and begging my office to take the pandemic seriously. They were dismissive and thought I was exaggerating until Newsom made a Stay At Home Order. He put it in place early compared to a lot of states, but I am convinced it saved thousands of lives, possibly my own.
She is delusional. She would be overwhelmingly rejected by the party and its voters. Oh the irony.
She is so delusional. Anyone can see what a bad idea this is but she sees herself as some pioneer. If she does run she is in for so much hate and hostility from people she expects will welcome her with open arms. What the hell was she doing last year when Kanye ran that she can’t see this for what it is? Delusional is the only word for it.
California has a bad history of letting Republican stars win governor races only to go on and destroy the country. So I’m not amused.
NO
No. Just no.
No. Full stop no.
This is one of the most stupid things I’ve heard in a long time. Who would vote for her? Conservative transpeople?! That’s a very small constituency. I think the real reason she is running is for the money that comes from campaign donations. That is something that is gaining traction around the country (specifically Republicans), people running in elections they have no hope to win just to get those campaign $$. I think it’s just a grift.
Between her in CA and Matthew McConaughey TX… no, just no
Yeah, that’s a no from me. Even if I wanted to recall Newsom, I wouldn’t vote for Jenner.
I really want to categorically state “This isn’t happening” but … yeah. I’m not saying that anymore.
As a Californian, I’d like to remind people just how well electing a former reality tv celebrity worked at the national level of politics…do we need a rerun at the state level?
The recall isn’t going to go anywhere, the polls don’t support it, and Republicans are too transphobic to accept Jenner. There are too many MAGA types in the GOP and the Democratic establishment is fully supporting Newsom. VPotus Harris was in Bay Area yesterday and offered support. There’s a bit of recall fever going on. In San Francisco, they want to recall the DA and the school board. There are legitimate frustrations but a lot of people behind these recalls, like with Newsom, are not being fully honest with voters and have a reactionary agenda. There are real frustrations, but this isn’t the way to solve it. I’m not mad enough about the lockdown, and certainly not the French Laundry to recall this Governor. Not when we see the fuckery of the GOP with what happened at the Capitol in January, attacking voting rights, transphobia, and all out insane clownery with people like trafficker Matt Gaetz and repugnant Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Kudos as usual @Kaiser for the header photo!
Worst idea since Kanye’s presidential run, right here. What’s sad is that she thinks Republicans would vote for a trans person, despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
As a Californian, what I heard grumbled the loudest was how other places were opening and CA wasn’t. Suddenly schools were reopening because of the $$ attached, vaccines were way more available for educators, and now CA is set to reopen June 15.
It might work. *shrug* I live in the red center of a blue state, and from this vantage point there isn’t as much momentum behind the recall as there was a couple months ago.
I remember in the late 90s when JFK Jr. started his political magazine “George.” To paraphrase, he said something about fame and politics blending together in the future. Now it’s the future, and we have this bull crap to contend with. So far, I hate it.
Jenner is definitely not a public servant.