Legal Insurrection readers have been following the recall process for California Governor Gavin Newsom.
The last time we reported, the signatures were being verified, and candidates were beginning to come forward. One of those gubernatorial hopefuls may be former Olympian and reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner, who is now rumored to be considering a run to replace Newsom.
Though signatures on a legally required petition are still being verified, Newsom, a Democrat in his first term, is all but certain to face a recall election later this year, with critics objecting to the onerous COVID-19 restrictions he has placed on the state over the last year — and his unwillingness to follow his own rules.Looking to challenge Newsom is Jenner, formerly a key cog of the Kardashian-Jenner reality television empire, Axios reported Monday, citing three sources familiar with Jenner’s thinking.
Jenner is a high-profile Republican and previously supported 45th President Donald Trump. It will be interesting to see how the state’s progressives and national media strain themselves to cover Jenner, balancing precariously between promoting trans tolerance vs. Trump Derangement Syndrome.
If coverage like this Axios piece is a clue, Trump-hate is going to dominate.
Jenner’s potential run also coincides with momentum from the Gavin Newsom recall efforts as opponents continue to criticize his handling of the pandemic. At the same time, Newsom scrambles to reopen the state to prove his questionable leadership skills.
‘We’re gonna take this extremely seriously … we’re gonna get ready — and fight like hell,’ Newsom strategist Sean Clegg told Politico in March.Former U.S. representative Doug Ose and former San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer are also in the running to potentially replace Newsom.
As a reminder, we reported that Jenner toyed with a run for the US Senate in 2017.
“I have considered it. I like the political side of it,” Jenner, who is a Republican, told Catsimatidis on AM 970 in New York.“The political side of it has always been very intriguing to me. Over the next six months or so, I gotta find out where I can do a better job. Can I do a better job from the outside? Kind of working the perimeter of the political scene, being open to talking to anybody? Or are you better from the inside, and we are in the process of determining that,” she said.“Yeah but I would look for a senatorial run,” she continued.
The 2003 recall election featured the winner Arnold Schwarzenegger and 135 other candidates, including actor Gary Coleman, Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt, and celebrity businesswoman Arianna Huffington. So, based on my experience, the election fun is just about getting started.
Frankly, Jenner has as much of a chance to prevail as nearly anyone. I think most Californians would rather enjoy living in an episode of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” as opposed to the “Twilight Zone” episode we are now experiencing.
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