The Donald Trump presidency should’ve been a lesson that reality stars with no political experience do not belong in politics. But here we are, with yet another Republican celebrity throwing their hat in the ring. Former Trump supporter Caitlyn Jenner announced that she filed the paperwork to run for Governor of California in the potential recall election of Gavin Newsom.
“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. 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,” she says in a statement. “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. As Californians, we face a now-or-never opportunity to fundamentally fix our state before it’s too late. Taking on entrenched Sacramento politics and the special interests that fund them requires a fighter who isn’t afraid to do what is right. I am a proven winner and the only outsider who can put an end to Gavin Newsom’s disastrous time as governor.”
The recall election hasn’t even been confirmed yet, so Jenner’s getting a bit ahead of herself here. And yes, her statement sounds similar to what Trump said while announcing his run for presidency, so it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that Jenner is being backed by a team that worked on the Trump campaign, “including Tony Fabrizio, the top pollster on Donald Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns, Ryan Erwin, founder of RedRock Strategies, and Tyler Deaton, president of Allegiance Strategies,” according to Axios. The site also reported that Jenner hired Steven Cheung, “a former Trump White House and campaign communications hand who worked on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s successful 2003 recall campaign.”
So, while Jenner’s being careful to not announce that she’s working with people who were part of the Trump administration, it sure sounds like she’s aiming at having a similar political career. Hard pass.