Longtime Republican Caitlyn Jenner will “decide soon” whether she will run for California governor, she said in tweets Sunday in which she also appeared to deny connections with GOP fundraisers.
The former reality TV star, Olympic athlete and transgender rights activist made the comments while responding to a tweet from Inside California Politics.
Axios first reported earlier this month that Jenner was coordinating with longtime GOP fundraiser Caroline Wren, who previously worked for a joint fundraising committee for President Donald Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign. The connection was later reported by other media outlets.
But Jenner appeared to dispute that link on Twitter Sunday.
In response to the Inside California Politics tweet, which included video of a Daily Beast reporter discussing Jenner’s connection to Wren and former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale, Jenner tweeted: “#FakeNews show me the contracts.”
In a separate tweet, Jenner said “they” — apparently meaning the news media — don’t want an “#lgbt fiscal conservative and socially liberal candidate.”
“I am with Californians and will decide soon,” she wrote. “I have been here for 45+ years and love CA.”
The 71-year-old has considered running for public office before, discussing a challenge to Sen. Dianne Feinstein but deciding not to run in the 2018 election. Earlier this year, Jenner denied she’d challenge Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Her comments Sunday come less than two weeks before the April 29 deadline to verify signatures in the campaign to recall Newsom. Recall organizers submitted more than 2.1 million signatures last month; they need about 1.5 million signatures verified to put the recall question before California voters.
Republicans John Cox, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and former Rep. Doug Ose have all said they’ll run, as has porn star Mary Carey.
Two polls — including one from KTLA and five other Nexstar-owned California television stations — have in recent weeks shown the recall lacks enough support to succeed.
