Caitlyn Jenner wants to run for California governor

Reality TV personality and transgender activist Caitlyn Jenner said on Friday that she had filed paperwork to run for governor of California.

"I'm in!'' Jenner said in a statement posted to Twitter.

The 71-year-old former athlete is just one of several Republicans who have announced plans to challenge incumbent Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom, who is facing a backlash over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Jenner said she was "a proven winner'' and would formally launch her campaign in the coming weeks. She described herself as the only candidate "who can put an end to Gavin Newsom's disastrous time as governor.''

Why is an election likely?  

California is expected to hold its second-ever recall election later this year, although officials are still reviewing the petition signatures needed to trigger such a vote.

If the recall qualifies, as it's expected to, citizens would be asked to vote on whether Newsom should be removed from office, and which candidate should replace him in the event that more than 50% of voters want to see him gone.

Newsom's popularity took a hit after he introduced stay-at-home orders during the pandemic that forced schools and thousands of businesses to close. He was also heavily criticized for dining out with friends and lobbyists at an exclusive San Francisco Bay Area restaurant at a time when residents were subject to a partial lockdown.

Still, recent polling suggests the 53-year-old would hold his seat if a vote takes place.

Who is Caitlyn Jenner?

Jenner's achievements as an athlete included winning gold in the men's decathlon event at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.

Before her transition in 2015, Jenner was married to Kris Kardashian of the hit reality TV show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians." Her transition was also documented on the show.

Jenner backed former President Donald Trump in his 2016 election campaign, but later criticized his administration's reversal of a directive on transgender access to public school bathrooms. She also criticized Trump for saying that transgender people would not be allowed to serve in the US military.

Jenner's bid for the governorship comes almost 20 years after fellow Republican and Hollywood legend Arnold Schwarzenegger won a surprise victory in California's first-ever recall election in 2003. He went on to serve as governor for more than seven years.

nm/msh (AFP, AP)