Trans icon Caitlyn Jenner running for governor of California

Caitlyn Jenner. Pic/AFP

Olympic champion and Kardashian clan member Caitlyn Jenner said on Friday she has filed paperwork to run for governor of California, in a bid to become the first transgender American to win such a high-profile post.

"I'm in!" the 71-year-old transgender icon and former decathlete said in a statement, adding she will formally launch her campaign - presumably as a Republican - in the coming weeks. Jenner is the most famous non-politician to run for California governor since Hollywood legend Arnold Schwarzenegger clinched a shock victory as a Republican in the heavily Democratic state's 2003 recall election. He served as governor for more than seven years.

Jenner's bid is considered a longshot by experts. But it comes as Gavin Newsom, a suave 53-year-old Democrat from San Francisco, faces a backlash over his handling of the pandemic, particularly his stay-at-home order that hit the state's businesses and families hard. California is expected to hold its second-ever recall election sometime this year, as the state's anti-Newsom petition appears on track to secure the necessary number of signatures to trigger a recall vote.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever