Caitlyn Jenner Is Officially Running for Governor of California

Although she's been famous for one reason or another for decades, Caitlyn Jenner really shot to fame after appearing on Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Now, it seems Caitlyn is parlaying that fame into a political career as she's now officially running for governor of California. Given the news that Caitlyn is apparently entering politics, there are many who wondered what party Caitlyn is affiliated with. 

Caitlyn Jenner has long been an outspoken member of the Republican party. In 2016, she even spoke at the Republican National Convention,  saying that she "got more trouble for coming out as a Republican than I did for being trans.” 

Caitlyn was a supporter of President Donald Trump during his first few years in office, but more recently, it seems her political views have begun to evolve. 

 "I've changed my thinking in a lot of ways," she said during an interview with People magazine. Now, Caitlyn says she identifies as "economically conservative, socially progressive."

She also said she believes that "we need equality for all, regardless of who's in the White House. I love my community. I truly want to help." 

In 2018, Caitlyn revoked her support for then-President Trump over transgender rights. In a column published in The Washington Post, Caitlyn wrote that she hoped to work inside of the GOP to improve the party's position on LBGTQ+ issues, but admitted that her previous support for President Trump had been a mistake. 

“The reality is that the trans community is being relentlessly attacked by this president,” she wrote in the piece. “He has made trans people into political pawns as he whips up animus against us in an attempt to energize the most right-wing segment of his party.” 

“My hope in him — in them — was misplaced, and I cannot support anyone who is working against our community,” she continued. “I do not support Trump.” 

Current California Governor Gavin Newsom is facing a recall election, and Caitlyn Jenner is apparently interested in getting into the ring. In February, her manager shot down rumors that she was considering a run for governor, but in early April of 2021, Axios reported that she had been in talks with political consultants about a possible run. On April 23, Caitlyn officially announced that she is indeed running for governor.

Caitlyn is apparently being helped by Republican fundraiser Caroline Wren, who previously worked at Trump Victory, a part of Trump's 2020 fundraising apparatus. Caitlyn and Caroline reportedly met through Caitlyn's work on the American Unity Fund, a Republican nonprofit focused on LGBT+ issues. Caitlyn had previously considered a run for Senate in 2017 and had wondered publicly whether she could do more to motivate change from inside the system or outside.

Although California is a heavily Democratic state, its last Republican governor was Arnold Schwarzenegger, another moderate who also happened to be a celebrity. Caitlyn's odds of winning the governorship may be fairly long, but that doesn't mean that there's no way she could wind up in the governor's mansion.