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Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks Caitlyn Jenner has a chance in California governor election
Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks Caitlyn Jenner can follow in his footsteps from celebrity to politician after she launched her bid to become governor of California.
Jenner, the former Olympian and Keeping Up With The Kardashians star, announced she was running for office last week and promised to take on incumbent Gavin Newsom.
Newsom, a Democrat, is facing a recall election following a Republican-led backlash against his handling of the pandemic.
The Terminator legend Schwarzenegger, 73, ousted the previous governor to be recalled, replacing Gray Davis as the state’s leader in 2003.
The former bodybuilder predicted Jenner – a fellow Republican hoping to challenge the incumbent Democrat – can repeat his triumph if she presents a clear vision for California’s future.
During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Schwarzenegger said ‘anyone has a chance because the people are dissatisfied with what’s going on here in California’.
He added: ‘The key thing about all of this is it doesn’t matter if it’s Caitlyn or anyone else – to have a clear vision of where you want to go, what are the kind of changes you want to make and why are you qualified to become governor.
‘That’s what you have to convince the people, all the other stuff is all nonsense because the press will attack you no matter who you are. They attacked me, but then in the end, I won so that was the main thing.’
Schwarzenegger said the new governor would have to ring the changes to ‘straighten out all the mess we’re in right now’.
Critics of Newsom, who has served as governor since 2019, have reacted furiously to his shutdowns of the state during the pandemic.
On Monday the effort to collect enough signatures to replace him was officially declared a success, and a special election is expected to take place in November.
It is widely believed Newsom will win in the comfortably Democrat California.
Schwarzenegger, who predicted another 100 candidates will enter the race for California’s highest office, refused to confirm if Jenner had contacted him for advice, only saying others hopeful of running had been in touch.
He described both Jenner and Newsom, 53, as good friends of his.
Jenner officially confirmed her campaign last week, and said: ‘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.
‘I have been a congressional disruptor throughout my life, from representing the United States and winning a gold medal at the Olympics to helping advance the movement of equality. As Californians, we face a now or never opportunity to fundamentally fix our state before it’s too late.’
While Schwarzenegger has given Jenner a good chance at winning the election, the star – who came out as transgender in 2015 – has yet to receive public support from her daughters Kylie and Kendall Jenner, or the rest of the Kardashians.
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