Just weeks after Caitlyn Jenner announced she would challenge California Governor Gavin Newsom in a potential recall election this year, the transgender reality television star just some bad news: a longtime political analyst has declared her campaign DOA.
Columnist Neil J. Young has penned a lengthy essay in The Week this week, explaining, as he puts it: “Caitlyn Jenner has no chance.” He’s in the position to know: as a longtime political writer, Young has penned work for The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Los Angeles Times, HuffPost, Vox, and Politico.
In the essay, Young explains that Jenner already faces a clear uphill battle. Newsom already has a groundswell of support, and a number of other Republican candidates have also announced their own bids to run.
“Less clear is which voters a Jenner candidacy attracts, and what experience the reality television star has that makes her ready to run the state,” Young writes. “Possibly the most unqualified person to ever run for California governor,” read one response to Jenner’s tweet.”
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“As the home to Hollywood,” he continues, “California has been comfortable electing movie stars since well before Trump came along, of course. Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger both served as the state’s governor. Other stars like Sonny Bono and Clint Eastwood also have held public office. But even given that history, Jenner’s bid may strike many as the ultimate example of celebrity entitlement, a vanity project that uses the political spotlight to stay relevant — or at least, in the news.”
Young also notes that the Republican party has long positioned itself as the chief enemy of the LGBTQ community, and that while a Republican transgender candidate might seem like a step to rehab that image, it will not change the views of voters.
“If Jenner’s candidacy is prompting eye rolls on the left,” Young observes, “it has, more tellingly, elicited vociferous denunciations on the right. ‘We cannot allow the Party of Trump to become the party of…Caitlyn Jenner,’ the prominent white nationalist Nicholas Fuentes tweeted. ‘I’m not a huge fan of the Republican Party getting behind Caitlyn Jenner,’ Charlie Kirk ranted on his popular radio show.”
“The right’s ugly reaction to Jenner gives the lie to whatever LGBTQ-friendly image the Republican Party has recently tried to put forward, however halfheartedly,” he continues. “Behind Trump’s occasional gay pride flag waving and his much-hyped appointments of a few gay men to his administration, the Trump administration waged a steady attack on LGBTQ rights, including stacking the courts with anti-gay judges. Transgender rights suffered the most. From almost the moment he took office, Trump began reversing the small number of Obama-era protections with a focus that was as chilling as it was cruel. At one point, the Trump administration even went so far as to propose a new rule that would have allowed tax-supported homeless shelters the right to deny transgender persons access to their facilities.“
Young then notes that the Republican onslaught on queer rights–particularly against transgender Americans–continues, with several states passing anti-transgender bills this month alone.
In other words, just as we have predicted, Ms. Jenner’s bid will almost assuredly fail, if she even makes it to the election itself. In addition to Republican antipathy toward her run, Jenner’s own family opposes her bid for governor. She will also likely face questions regarding a 2015 car accident, in which one woman was killed.
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
Let me get this strait. During the George Floyd riots of last year elected Minneapolis council member Angela Jenkins, a trans woman whom quelled rioters and gave guidance and assurances to residents who lost their homes during rage fires set by the rioters, got ignored completely by the trans community’s press but Phonyana, a member of one of the most sickening families whom could ever be passed off as reality stars or people of importance with something to say receives blaring headlines regarding something we all knew (and that being not worth two dead flies)? Sadly, the answer to that is YES, she (Angela Jenkins) did and still does get ignored and yes, Phonyana and her sagging butt cheeks (wasn’t that swimsuit pic the most disgusting thing you could have ever seen?) is more important than substance.
I hope she does run, changes back over to Bruce Jenner and gives ALL of you whom supported her the middle finger as she publicly writes the checks for her conservative causes that have done more to hold you, the trans community back in the dark ages. Its sad how you can associate this phony with the same type of people whom support Trump. Has the entire country, sexual orientation be damned, lost its mind? Trans be damned do you all hold ANY values other than promoting ANYTHING that claims to be trans regardless of how their actions seem to point to their despising you?
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
Ok, ok. Her name is Andrea Jenkins, not Angela. So sue me. But I still meant what I said.
Erik
Even for a troll, that was particularly irrational and insane. Are you preparing to run as a Republican, or what?
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
@Erik……..As I expected Bruce has hired a temp-troll force armed with iPhones to deflect from the truth and block all attempts to bring this script reading reality star back into actual reality of the world where the rest of us (the working class gay people it seems to think will overwhelming support “it’s” candidacy).
Trust me, staffer, with the way Bruce Jenner is being ridiculed across the web you ARE going to earn every penny of that $11 bucks an hour that staffing agency he hired pay’s you for today assignment. People working at Walmart and Dollar Tree would have more dignity.
Rick Notch
Thank you, Sister! I live in Minneapolis just a mile from the site of the murder of George Floyd. Andrea Jenkins is an excellent council member who has done endless work to bring both peace and accountability to the city.
ScottOnEarth
You’re an anti-trans idiot. HER name is Caitlyn. Your pathetic attempts at dead-naming her show you for the bigot you are, so please visit Fox News to mingle with your own ludicrous ilk.
Kangol2
I agree with you about Andrea Jenkins. She was and is amazing, and has been present all throughout the Chauvin trial and its aftermath. We both know why the mainstream media ignore her, though.
I don’t agree with the deadnaming of Caitlyn Jenner, but I find her repellent. She supported Don the Con then was shocked when, despite everything coming out of his treasonous mouth, he immediately went after trans people. Did she engage in any sustained activism on their behalf? NO. She is a total rich, entitled phony, and she would be a disaster as California’s governor. The state has begun to recover from the absolute debacle of the Don the Con presidency (it has a budget surplus, increasing new business starts, one of the lowest rates of Covid-19 transmission, etc. in the US), and we’re supposed to believe this out-of-touch neophyte is qualified to run it? Who does she think she is, Arnold Schwarzenegger? Can you imagine her working with people either in the GOP or the Democratic majority in Sacramento?
Please, Caitlyn, just go back to your beach house and leave the rest of us alone.
Liquid Silver
Did…did you just mis-gender Caitlyn to show how great transgender people are?
Oy.
Aurorajeb
Your closed-minded, anti-trans rant will get you nowhere. However, your consistent misuse of the objective pronoun “whom” takes the cake. In all cases is should have been “who,” as in “Who do you think you are?” Have a good solitary life!
SPEEDOSWIMMER
‘Strait’?
And that’s where your credibility started AND ended.
marshal phillips
What’s Jenner’s platform? Change GOP minds about using the public bathroom of one’s identity?
Rick Notch
Jenner does not want to pay taxes.
PhillyProud
She has no clue how marginalized she is by her party. This really does speak to her privilege and ignorance. Someone on FB tried to convince me she has a lot of support in the African American community. I found that surprising to say the least. If that’s true, however, I highly doubt Instagram support would translate to votes. Either way, I would be beyond amazed if she even charts.
stanhope
Is that a joke? Brucegina has no great support in the Black community! Full stop.
Mehki
Trust me she doesn’t…
We don’t even know who the hell she is. And support for what?
Isn’t she rich and entitled? Now she wants another check?
Gurl, plz.
butchqueen
I wish she’d go crawl back into the terlit she came from.
Prowelsh56
Totally not who is needed right now. No more reality tv and yes she has flipped and flopped in her position within the LGBTQ community. Not all in the LGBTQ community are sane and rational. Not all in the straight community are sane and rational. Not all things offered nicely should be accepted. The community has to show a rational face/force.
Jere
I don’t understand any political neophyte starting with the top job. If she’s serious about a political career, Jenner should run for the state assembly/house of representatives or state senate and put in some time learning about stage government and how it works and doesn’t work. Or she could start local and run for city council wherever she lives. I guess she’s still so enamored of Trump and is probably thinking that, if he could be President with no qualifications, she can be governor with same.
ScottOnEarth
He is so right. Caitlyn’s half-hearted candidacy is about her and only her. She is so incredibly narcissistic that she would never do anything for the greater good; HOWEVER, her highly-visible profile does have the effect of “normalizing” the trans community, in some sense, in that she is out there and presenting as a trans woman. Visibility is a huge part of the process, so, for that, I appreciate Caitlyn. Other than that, I think she is an incredibly self-centered person who is running for CA governor for selfish reasons. As Neil J. Young says, “a vanity project that uses the political spotlight to stay relevant — or at least, in the news.”
jsmu
C*NTlyn is hated by everyone.
Exactly who told the dripping syphilitic gash that she could get elected even to dogcatcher?!?!?!
MissTerri
Your misogyny is showing, dear. Isn’t it interesting how leftists celebrate strong independent women but as soon as one strong independent woman (well, kind of) steps out of line, then all the sexism is revealed.
Liquid Silver
@MissTerri….well, there’s no Universe in which Caitlyn is strong or independent enough to run for Governor, so there’s some merit to the comment, and she’s running as a Republican, so that lends more merit to the comment.
And she’s trying to unseat a competent Democrat, so I’d actually say that you’re letting your third-wave feminism blind your common sense here. Cait’s way out of line, and utterly incompetent for any responsible position.
Liquid Silver
No surprise here. People tend to expect at least some competence in their candidates.
Well, not Republicans, obviously, but they have easier candidates to back, so the rejection is clear.
wooly101
She’d be better off if she opened up a spa instead.
Iona Lexiss
Entitled white…………….. (you fill in blank). ‘Look at me, me, me! I’m popular. I should run for student body president (twirling hair around index finger)!!’ I can’t even say anything articulate about this stupid narcissist. Annoying. Ridiculous.
cuteguy
Couldn’t happen to a nicer toxic narcissist. Bye girl
ptb2016
Hollywood actor/actress? Ever seen Can’t Stop the Music when she was still Bruce? Almost killed the career of Steve Guttenberg that movie!
BaltoSteve
Prior to her transition, she enjoyed the privilege of a heterosexual white male. She may have had her own feelings of insecurity and otherness in her own skin, however her race and how she presented to the world were never additional societal hinderances prior to her transition. Now that she has transitioned she has lost some of that privilege, though she still acts as though she has retained it. Let her run. Let her experience the struggle her sisters have had and are still having so she can gain the understanding that Bruce is dead and so is all his privilege.
GayEGO
I hope Caitlyn smacks the Republicans down and wins the Republican party nominee.
Doug
I live in California, and frankly I’m sick and tired of people in the entertainment industry (which Jenner just barely qualifies) with no political experience whatsoever thinking they have the know-how to govern states and countries. This is exactly how we ended up with Trump. Hopefully she’ll bow (wow) out in the next few weeks.
richybruce
Caitlyn Jenners brains are in her balls. And we all know what happened to them.