The 71-year-old former athlete is just one of several Republicans who have announced plans to challenge incumbent Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom, who is facing a backlash over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Jenner said she was "a proven winner'' and would formally launch her campaign in the coming weeks. She described herself as the only candidate "who can put an end to Gavin Newsom's disastrous time as governor.''
Why is an election likely?
California is expected to hold its second-ever recall election later this year, although officials are still reviewing the petition signatures needed to trigger such a vote.
If the recall qualifies, as it's expected to, citizens would be asked to vote on whether Newsom should be removed from office, and which candidate should replace him in the event that more than 50% of voters want to see him gone.
Newsom's popularity took a hit after he introduced stay-at-home orders during the pandemic that forced schools and thousands of businesses to close. He was also heavily criticized for dining out with friends and lobbyists at an exclusive San Francisco Bay Area restaurant at a time when residents were subject to a partial lockdown.
Still, recent polling suggests the 53-year-old would hold his seat if a vote takes place.
Who is Caitlyn Jenner?
Jenner's achievements as an athlete included winning gold in the men's decathlon event at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.
Before her transition in 2015, Jenner was married to Kris Kardashian of the hit reality TV show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians." Her transition was also documented on the show.
Jenner backed former President Donald Trump in his 2016 election campaign, but later criticized his administration's reversal of a directive on transgender access to public school bathrooms. She also criticized Trump for saying that transgender people would not be allowed to serve in the US military.
Jenner's bid for the governorship comes almost 20 years after fellow Republican and Hollywood legend Arnold Schwarzenegger won a surprise victory in California's first-ever recall election in 2003. He went on to serve as governor for more than seven years.
Transgender star Elliot Page featured in Time magazine
Oscar-nominated star Elliot Page has given his first interview since coming out as transgender. Along with the actor, here are other public figures who have contributed to breaking down barriers.
Image: Time Magazin
Elliot Page's first in-depth interview
Last December, the Oscar-nominated star of "Juno" came out as a transgender man, revealing his new name and pronouns — he/they — in a letter to fans posted on social media. In his first in-depth interview since coming out, the "Umbrella Academy" actor told Time magazine that he wants to use his "privilege and platform" to help other trans people.
Image: Time Magazin
Laverne Cox
As Elliot Page pointed out in his coming out letter, "discrimination towards trans people is rife." Just before Page made his announcement, Laverne Cox, another prominent transgender activist, detailed on Instagram a recent transphobic attack in Los Angeles. The "Orange is the New Black" star is the first openly transgender woman to be nominated for an Emmy for acting.
Image: Invision/AP/picture alliance
Caitlyn Jenner
Retired US Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete Caitlyn Jenner is one of the most renowned people to have publicly transitioned. She revealed her new name and gender on the cover of "Vanity Fair" in 2015, posing for renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. The TV personality's announcement paved the way for new conversations about transitioning and trans rights.
Image: Reuters/Vanity Fair/A. Leibovitz
Chaz Bono
Standard advice when referring to trans people: Avoid using their birth names, since "deadnaming" misgenders the person and dismisses their identity expression. The son of singers Sonny Bono and Cher, Chaz Bono, transitioned from female to male from 2008-2010. A documentary on Bono's experience, "Becoming Chaz," came out in 2011.
Image: Ava Benjamin Shorr/Netflix/Everett Collection/picture alliance
Jazz Jennings
The activist, YouTube and TV star's shows focus on her experiences as a transgender youth. Born in 2000, Jazz Jennings was diagnosed with gender dysphoria at the age of five, making her one of the youngest publicly documented people to be identified as transgender. A year later, she started appearing on television with her family to talk about the challenges of her identity.
Image: John Lamparski/Getty Images
Andreja Pejic
Bosnian-Australian model Andreja Pejic came out as a trans woman in 2013. She was the first transgender woman to appear on the cover of GQ magazine. She also made her acting debut in the 2018 crime thriller film "The Girl in the Spider's Web."
Image: Wendell Teodoro/Getty Images for NGV
Chelsea Manning
Originally coming into the spotlight for disclosing classified information on WikiLeaks, the former Army intelligence analyst was imprisoned for several years. On the day after her sentencing in 2013, Chelsea Manning's attorney announced her gender and new name. She was released after Barack Obama commuted her 35-year sentence; Manning has remained a public figure through her speaking engagements.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/C. Owen
The Wachowski sisters
The Wachowskis are best known as the creators of the "Matrix" films. Lana (right) completed her transition by 2010. This photo is from 2012, before Lilly Wachowski also came out as a transgender woman. They have since co-directed "Sense8," a Netflix science-fiction series that explores issues related to identity, sexuality, gender and politics.
