PASADENA — With the state’s recall election just two weeks away, recall candidate Caitlyn Jenner emerged on Southern California campaign terrain on Saturday, Aug. 28, taking aim at Gov. Gavin Newsom, whose job hangs in the balance in the Sept. 14 recall election.
Jenner, 71, lags far behind in pre-recall polls, but her emergence in Pasadena marked the end of a week’s worth of appearances of some recall candidates in the Los Angeles area, where they took turns lambasting Newsom’s actions during the pandemic in the final sprint to the recall election.
About three dozen supporters came to the Pasadena Hilton’s California Ballroom on Saturday to take photos, hear Jenner speak and ask questions in what was billed as a town hall.
“We won’t stop,” Jenner said. “First, we have to deal with Question #1.”
That question, on the recall ballot that has been sent to all registered voters in the state, represents Newsom’s future: If more than 50% of voters say he should be recalled, Newsom’s tenure will be over. The second question asks which of 46 replacement challengers would replace him.
At the moment, Republican Jenner is not among the top contenders to replace him, according to polls. But on Saturday, she tried to raise doubts on their accuracy while touting financial contributions for her campaign.
“I have received more ‘small money’ than any other candidate,” Jenner said. “I’ve raised money from every state in the Union.”
Conservative talk radio host Larry Elder has emerged as the frontrunner among recall candidates.
Jenner, a former Olympic athlete who rose to fame in the 1970s, has been dogged by questions over her political intentions because she left the country after announcing her campaign to film a reality TV program in Australia. Jenner said it was a previously arranged commitment she chose not to break.
Elder far outpaces his nearest recall challengers, Democrat Kevin Paffrath and Republic John Cox. But if the recall’s outcome gets past the first question, whoever wins could capture the governor’s seat with a small plurality of votes.
Jenner stopped short of going the way of fellow Republican Kevin Faulconer, the former mayor of San Diego who has been at the forefront of recent salvos at Elder over his views on women in the workplace. Jenner did not spend much time on Elder, opting to aim her jabs at Newsom.
During Saturday’s hour-long community forum, Jenner slammed detailed familiar issues in the state, from the homeless crisis to government red tape. She blamed state environmental rules for the lack of housing inventory and new construction.
“If you want to build and there is a pile or dirt with a flower, you can’t (because of the environmentalists),” she said.
I am the most serious candidate in this race. The @latimes entirely misrepresents my intentions and interests. I work tirelessly to connect with the citizens and believe in a citizen run govt not a special interest run govt #RecallGavinNewsom
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) August 24, 2021
Christine Christopher, a Republican from Pasadena, said she came to hear what Jenner had to say, with hopes it would help her decide if she would vote for Jenner or one of the other candidates she was leaning toward.
“When she first jumped on board I was full blown Caitlyn,” Christopher said. “But then others jumped in, and I (thought) l have to take a good look at this.”
