Jenner tours US border amid California recall bid

Caitlyn Jenner was along the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday as part of a monthlong campaign tour in her bid to become California’s next governor.

Jenner emphasized the need for resources to secure the border.

"We need, as Californians, to, bottom line, secure this border, whatever it takes," Jenner said.

The former Olympian and reality TV personality is a GOP candidate in the September recall election that could remove Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office.

In her first run for office, Jenner has been shadowed by doubts about her intentions and whether she might be running a vanity campaign linked to advancing her entertainment career.

She has no background in managing a vast government like California, which by itself is the world’s fifth-largest economy.

Those questions were fanned by the disclosure that she ducked out of the country after announcing her campaign to film a reality TV program in Australia, which Jenner has said was a previously arranged commitment.

Jenner, who came out as a transgender woman in 2015 and has millions of social media followers, also skipped what so far has been the only candidate debate on Aug. 4.

She scratched a planned statewide bus tour, instead opting to fly to events, her campaign said.

Jenner's candidacy has been unconventional from the start.

Her initial website was largely devoted to seeking donations and selling campaign swag, like hats, T-shirts and wine glasses carrying her name.

It took her 77 days to hold her first news conference after announcing she would enter the contest.

Despite her name recognition, she continues to be little more than an asterisk in the polls, and recent fundraising reports revealed her campaign was effectively in debt.

Until the start of her tour, the 71-year-old Jenner anchored her campaign to televised media interviews, which have included embarrassing stumbles that highlighted her inexperience, including acknowledging she wasn’t deeply versed in Newsom’s latest budget.

With mail-in ballots for the Sept. 14 election already going out to voters, recent polls show Larry Elder leading among Newsom challengers.

Elder is a newer entrant in the race who quickly outraised his GOP rivals.

IMAGE: AP