Caitlyn Jenner, a former Olympic champion, reality TV star, and transgender activist, officially announced her run for governor of California pending a recall vote of current Gov. Gavin Newsom. To trigger a recall election in California, you need 1.5 million signatures. Over 2 million signatures have been collected. Counties have until the end of the month to verify signatures and report their numbers to state election officials. The state’s Finance Department will take 30 days to write an expense report for the election and then a legislative panel will review it. After this, an election date can be set.

If an election date is set, then when voters go to vote they will be asked two questions: whether Newsom should be replaced and who should he be replaced with. The recall election is an open election. There is no limit on the number of people who can run, and the person who gets the most votes wins, even if it is a plurality. Arnold Schwarzenegger won when he ran for governor with 49 percent of the vote.

According to Jenner, “California has been my home for nearly 50 years. I came here because I knew that anyone, regardless of their background or station in life, could turn their dreams into reality. But for the past decade, we have seen the glimmer of the Golden State reduced by one-party rule that places politics over progress and special interests over people. Sacramento needs an honest leader with a clear vision.”

Jenner is for loosening COVID-19 restrictions. She says that, “We see Nancy Pelosi. I can't go to my hair salon. All the salons in my town are closed. Nobody can go in there and nobody's working. People are losing money. But she can sneak in. And it's the hypocrisy of what's going on." Jenner is referring to when Nancy Pelosi was seen getting her hair done despite hair salons being closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Jenner came out as transgender in 2015, and she had her own reality series called “I am Cait” that aired in 2016.

Caitlyn Jenner originally endorsed Trump in 2016, but later wrote in a 2018 Washington Post editorial that “she was wrong.” "The reality is that the trans community is being relentlessly attacked by this president," she wrote. Even though she renounced Trump, pro-LGBTQ groups were quick to criticize her for her former support of Trump.

"Make no mistake: we can’t wait to elect a #trans governor of California. But @Caitlyn_Jenner spent years telling the #LGBTQ+ community to trust Donald Trump. We saw how that turned out," tweeted Equality California.

From April 29-May 5, 10,289 Californians were polled and only 6% of them supported Jenner, and just 13% of Republicans. According to Forbes, “Jenner had the lowest support among the Republican candidates polled, as compared with 22% for former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and businessman John Cox and 14% for former state Rep. Doug Ose.”

“Newsom benefits from the improving situation with the pandemic, but there are still some warning signs — the low interest of Democratic voters and the substantial number of undecided voters,” Eric Schickler, co-director of the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies told the Times. “But the governor is now in better shape and is helped by the absence of a compelling GOP alternative.” Of the Californians polled, about 15% are still undecided on who they would vote for in the recall election. The Times also says that Newsom’s approval numbers have been up since January, but they are still below his 64% approval rate in September. In January, 45% were against Newsom’s recall. Now, that number has increased.

Once the date has been set and all candidates are announced, there can be a clearer picture of where Jenner stands among the other candidates in the race.