Even though it feels like forever ago, it was just last week that Caitlyn Jenner suffered a crushing defeat in her longshot bid to unseat California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Now, political analysts have begun dissecting her doomed campaign that kicked off with a high profile interview on Fox News filmed in her personal airplane hangar and ended with more than $156,000 in debt and a nutty CNN appearance that made Rudy Giuliani look sane.
“She did more damage to the trans community with this campaign than, I believe, any social conservative could do with an entire term in office,” Charlotte Clymer, a politics fellow at Georgetown University and former press secretary for the HRC, tells the Los Angeles Times in an article debriefing the whole thing.
During her campaign, Jenner spoke in support of issues like “religious freedom” and opposed trans athletes competing in sports. She also burned through more than $910,000 in campaign donations on things like limo rides and sushi dinners. Oh, and she took a month off to film a reality show in Australia.
Great time abroad for fun and glad to be back in #California on the campaign trail! https://t.co/3FrepPj2SB
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) August 7, 2021
Charles Moran, managing director of the Log Cabin Republicans, has a slightly more optimistic take on the whole thing, saying, “It’s important for people on the right to see people who are different than who they are, but have shared values. Her being out there and doing that is helpful.”
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Then there’s Ron Nehring, former chair of the California Republican Party, who calls 71-year-old Jenner’s foray into politics an absolute “catastrophe.”
“Jenner’s catastrophic performances in interviews reflected a lack of seriousness,” he says, adding that she “wasn’t running for governor. She was doing something, but certainly not running for governor.”
The interviews, as you may recall, included regular attacks on homeless people for being, well, homeless, criticisms of Gavin Newsom for going out to a restaurant during COVID, bitching about mask mandates, and blaming the sun for global warming.
“I’m not a big believer in climate change, this and that,” Jenner told her local Fox affiliate last month. “Our climate has been changing. We used to be in an Ice Age here. … I think the climate is constantly changing, but I don’t know if it’s because of humans. I think it’s because of the big ol’ sun up there.”
Three weeks from recall election day, Caitlyn Jenner remains confident about her campaign. “California needs a…
Posted by KTVU Fox 2 on Tuesday, August 24, 2021
Democratic strategist Garry South says Jenner’s campaign was always destined to fail.
“I mean, the whole thing was just off key from Day 1,” he says, adding that she clearly “drew inspiration” from the campaigns of Donald Trump and Arnold Schwarzenegger, but that things didn’t pan out the way she assumed they would.
“I think she made a superficial determination that somehow she could replicate those two successes,” South says. “And she couldn’t.”
In her bitter concession speech last week, Jenner called her election loss “a shame” and said she “can’t believe that this many people actually voted to keep [Gov. Newsom] in office.”
“It’s a shame, honestly,” she griped. “It’s a shame. You kind of get the government you deserve.”
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
barryaksarben
I cant believe ANYONE threw their vote away on this mental midget. She starts out mouthing keywords but then voices the simplest idiotic so called views. Just pathetic and childish ramblings. A dumbass to be blunt
Kangol2
Caitlyn Jenner’s disastrous campaign and debacle of a loss was nothing but an extended ad and attention bid for herself. Nothing she did or said suggested she was serious about running or being governor, and she proved that by flying off to film a reality show in a country halfway around the world during the campaign.
She topped it all off by insulting other trans people. In addition to her handlers and campaign staff, the people who should hang their heads in shame are the major media companies that gave her airtime, and thus free advertising.
In fact, I bet most of the Queerty commenters, had we the same money she had and the same level of TV coverage, could have garnered more than the 50,000 votes than she managed!
MacAdvisor
John Drake, an ex-rightwinger, now gay progressive, finished just behind Jenner (Jenner won 55,797 votes or 1.1%, while Drake won 46,680 or 0.9%) and he spent under $5,000 from what I can find. Given the money Jenner spent, I bet Drake would have far surpassed her. Drake is still in college and young, but had some good ideas. Given his good looks, Queerty may want to feature him.
Chrisk
Ha. He looks all of 16.
jcool
the fact that there was a camera crew following her around before her australia trip makes me think we have a bravo special to look forward to. or not.
HankHarris
There is irony here given that the rise of social media stars like her and the Kardashians contributed to trump’s popularity too.
Cam
I love the fact that Trump’s campaign head got her when she was polling at 6%, and took her to a 1% total.
No surprise there.
Prax07
I guess just because a mentally ill person gets some magical penis removal surgery doesn’t automatically cure the mental illness. Jenner is blatant proof of that. So yeah, bad look for a community she’s made herself king of.
MacAdvisor
Jenner has not yet had the penial reconstruction surgery.
whereshouldistart
Can’t we just skip to the part where the world asks…”Caitlyn who?”?
Matthewnow
I used to give her/him credit for being truthful her/himself. Not anymore. She/He is an embarrassment to everyone now.
Mr. Stadnick
This I hope will be the final nail in the coffin of all things Kardashian. Their time has come and gone. They will one day be a question in a pub quiz that no one will be able to answer because no one will remember their names. Caitlyn was part of that talentless and tasteless world. Her run for office proved there is nothing beneath the plastic surgically enhanced skin. There were never any ideas or thoughts just meaningless gloss and cheap glitter. Lipstick on a pig.
Mack
I can proudly say I’ve never watched anything Kardashian. I have no reason to. The mother was married to OJ, the murderer’s defender, and one of the daughter is famous for a porn movie. I guess the daughters tries to see who can find the BBC. That’s my opinion.
Heywood Jablowme
Debrief? No, please leave her briefs on! TMI.
Doug
I’d be fascinated to see some interviews of those people who voted for her and their explanations why. 55,797 votes are mind-boggling.
Max
at 71, shouldn’t she be enjoying retirement, shopping for new outfits, and heavy-duty spa treatments?
ricdardc1
The P.oS. media Wh—re was just a mess from the KKK-oollocks Up ! Miss T-Hang-er’s was trying to gain some Fame from the “Who’es-dashian” KKK-lan, surprised their wasn’t a Sextape, Thank God . who would want to see that Mess ! Be Gone you have no Power Here !
wikidBSTN
Just a train wreck that never stops.
BaltoSteve
The narcissism is strong in this one!
nmharleyrider
Gorgeous man, ugly woman mentally and physically.
Karlis
I get the sense that after transitioning, this woman thought that she could bring along the popularity of her former Olympic star male. Apparently not. Womp, womp on her results in the recall election, and I hope she was the first one to get kicked out of the house on that Australian show.
Invader7
FAIL. Horrible soul.. Ugly face.. Nasty person.. Disgusting ,entitled ,over bearing creepy republican. Aren’t they all ????