By Brian Brant
(LOS ANGELES) Republican California gubernatorial candidate and transgender advocate Caitlyn Jenner said in an interview on Wednesday that she is running because her state is "crumbling," according to NBC News.
“This state has done so much for me over the years," Jenner said to Fox News host Sean Hannity. "But I’ve watched it crumble right in front of my eyes."
Jenner, a former Olympian, said she knew her candidacy would not be smooth.
"I knew it would not be easy," she said. "I knew it would be tough, but you know what? California’s worth fighting for, and that’s what I’m doing.”
The reality television star said she is running to unseat Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is facing a recall, and added her friends are fleeing the state.
“The guy right across, he was packing up his hangar,” Jenner added. “And he says, ‘I’m moving to Sedona, Arizona. I can’t take it anymore. I can’t walk down the streets and see the homeless.’”
In the interview, Jenner also touched on running as a transgender woman as well the need to implement a "fair and equitable immigration system," however with a secure border wall.
"We are a compassionate country, OK," Jenner said. "We are a compassionate state. ... Some people, we are going to send back. No question about that. ... But I have met some of the greatest immigrants into our country."