Caitlyn Jenner says she will run for governor in 2022 if Republicans lose Newsom recall
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - FEBRUARY 28: TV personality Caitlyn Jenner arrives at the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Graydon Carter at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 28, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by John S
Republican California gubernatorial candidate Caitlyn Jenner told Fox News on Saturday that she plans to run for governor in 2022 if Republicans are not successful in recalling Gov. Gavin Newsom this September
Jenner made the comments at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), and maintained that her plan is to come out victorious in the recall.
"Yes. As of right now we are going – that is the plan," Jenner said when asked about a 2022 run.
"Once this is over with we are going to kind of evaluate everything that we've done over this recall election. But to be honest with you I don't plan on losing this election," Jenner, the decorated Olympian decathlete, added. "We're going to take him out now. Our best opportunity to take out Gavin Newsom is right now."
Jenner is in a race that involves multiple other high-profile California Republicans, including former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and businessman John Cox. The California recall process includes two questions – one about whether the sitting governor should be recalled and another about who should replace him, which is only relevant if the governor is actually recalled.
This process, which does not include primaries, leads to dozens of candidates from each party declaring for the race. And in the highly-partisan state, it gives Republicans potentially their best chance to win the governorship.
"I didn't go into races when I was in the old days training thinking I was going to get second place, I'm in it to win it," Jenner said Saturday.
Jenner also addressed her status as an outsider candidate and criticism that her campaign equates to a sideshow in the election – she has struggled in polls and at fundraising.
"As you call experienced Republican or Democrat, okay… the experienced ones have been in Sacramento you know for the last 30, 40 years. And what have they done?" Jenner said. "Given us the worst business environment in the entire United States. They've given us the worst business environment in the entire United States. They've given us the highest taxes, the list goes on… I didn't do that."
"My campaign is extraordinarily serious," Jenner added. "I have spent the last three months, four months, studying, working on the issues, going out meeting with the people, doing press. Gavin Newsom has been the worst governor we've had in the history of California. We need to change that."
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