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Caitlyn Jenner is running for California governor
Caitlyn Jenner is officially running for governor, hoping to unseat Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Caitlyn Jenner, the celebrity-turned-California-Republican gubernatorial candidate, released her first campaign ad of the crowded recall campaign to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday.
The video highlights the "American Dream" in midcentury California before blaming politicians for the state's decline.
"Career politicians and their policies have destroyed that dream," the video says. "It's been locked away, closed, shuttered, left in the dark, burned down. The government is now involved in every part of our lives. They've taken our money, our jobs and our freedom."
The video continues to hammer Newsom as an "elitist" and laments the results of California's strict coronavirus shutdowns in the past year, saying "it's time to reopen" schools, businesses and more.
'I'm in:' Republican Caitlyn Jenner is running for California governor
It's not clear how much money Jenner's campaign is spending on placing the ad, which is three minutes long. Jenner's campaign did not immediately respond to queries from Fox News on where and when the ad will run and how much it plans to spend on it.
Jenner, who will appear on Fox News Channel's "Hannity" Wednesday, enters a field of candidates that includes 2018 Republican gubernatorial nominee John Cox, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Falconer and others. Former acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell, who has been a public supporter of the recall effort, has neither confirmed that he will get involved in the recall race nor dispelled rumors that he is considering it.
The format of California recall elections gives candidates with high name recognition but who may not have made it through a traditional primary process a more significant chance of success.
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SJSU professor said Caitlyn Jenner’s entry intro race will attract attention
San Jose State Political Science Department Chair Garrick Percival said that Jenner's entry into the recall race will attract media attention, at least initially. Allie Rasmus reports
The ballot has two questions. The first is whether the sitting governor should be recalled. The second is if more than half of voters say yes to the first question, who should replace the governor. There are likely to be dozens or more candidates listed on the second question, potentially splitting votes for more traditional politicians and allowing a person who is very famous to win via a plurality.
The 2003 California recall election resulted in actor and bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger being elected as the state's governor.
If Newsom is successfully removed from office, his replacement would only be in office for a short time before a regularly scheduled election for California governor in 2022.