{"id":2577118,"date":"2026-03-07T00:05:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-07T05:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kevin-kiley-to-run-as-independent-darrell-issa-to-retire\/"},"modified":"2026-03-07T00:07:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T05:07:27","slug":"kevin-kiley-to-run-as-independent-darrell-issa-to-retire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kevin-kiley-to-run-as-independent-darrell-issa-to-retire\/","title":{"rendered":"Kevin Kiley to run as independent, Darrell Issa to retire"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fkevin-kiley-to-run-as-independent-darrell-issa-to-retire%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2577118&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Two California Republican House members are reshaping their political plans in response to Democrats\u2019 redistricting. kevin Kiley announced he will seek reelection as an autonomous, running in teh newly drawn 6th Congressional District in Sacramento County after Proposition 50 split his current district into six parts. He portrayed the redraw as a partisan effort and said he would answer to voters rather than party leaders, even as his race will pit him against Democrats like Richard pan and Thien Ho. Darrell Issa meanwhile said he is retiring after more than 25 years in Congress and offered an enthusiastic endorsement to Jim Desmond in his bid for the 48th District, noting he will complete his current term. The moves reflect California\u2019s redistricting changes that officials say were designed to challenge incumbent Republicans.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">California shakeup: Kevin Kiley to run for reelection as independent, Darrell Issa to retire<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2517890\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Two members of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/california\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"60\">California<\/a>&lsquo;s House delegation are leaving <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/house-republicans\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"13\">Republican<\/a> politics after Democrats drew new maps that have put their seats in jeopardy.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kevin-kiley\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"7945\">Kevin Kiley<\/a> (R-CA) announced on Friday night that he is running for reelection as an independent this year, and Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/darrell-issa\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"176\">Darrell Issa<\/a> (R-CA) revealed he is retiring after a more than two-decade career in Congress.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4482246\/kristi-noem-south-dakota-senate-race-2026\/\">Could Kristi Noem run for Senate after DHS exit? Filing deadline looms<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4482170\/stephanie-bice-hern-eye-senate-seat-mullin-dhs\/\">Stephanie Bice and Kevin Hern eye Oklahoma Senate seat if Mullin heads to DHS<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4481949\/paxton-drop-texas-senate-save-america-act\/\">Paxton offers to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ken-paxton-offers-to-drop-texas-senate-bid-if-save-act-passes\/\" title=\"Ken Paxton offers to drop Texas Senate bid if SAVE Act passes\">drop primary challenge<\/a> to Cornyn if Senate passes SAVE America Act<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Both decisions, announced shortly before a congressional filing deadline, came in response to a California <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/redistricting\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"241\">redistricting<\/a> push intended to box out several Republican incumbents.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-kiley-steps-away-from-gop\">Kiley steps away from GOP<\/h2>\n<p>Kiley, a more centrist House Republican, directly blamed Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gavin-newsom\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1426\">Gavin Newsom<\/a> (D-CA) for spearheading the effort to draw new maps, part of a tit-for-tat with Republicans in Texas and other states.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Gerrymandering is a plague on democracy, one that Gavin Newsom has brought back to California. But there&rsquo;s a way we can fight back and protect our democracy from his partisan games: by removing partisanship from the equation,&rdquo; Kiley said in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/KevinKileyCA\/status\/2030096771335213064\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/x.com\/KevinKileyCA\/status\/2030096771335213064\">two-minute video<\/a> posted on X, explaining he filed to run on the ballot without any party affiliation.<\/p>\n<p>The lawmaker noted most offices in California are already nonpartisan, arguing it&rsquo;s not a stretch for him to do the same. Kiley has in <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >recent months bucked party leadership<\/a> in the House, criticizing Speaker Mike Johnson&rsquo;s (R-LA) handling of last year&rsquo;s government shutdown and urging his colleagues to work with Democrats on Obamacare subsidy legislation. He separately urged Johnson to pass a bill clamping down on gerrymandering.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;As an elected representative, I&rsquo;ve always seen my role as being an independent voice for our community, holding politicians in Sacramento and Washington accountable to serve my constituents,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;I answer to you, not party leaders. That&rsquo;s the kind of representation I believe the newly-drawn Sixth District deserves.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>For the moment, Kiley is a member of the Republican House majority, but a spokesperson <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/casssemyon\/status\/2030112625850196038?s=20\">said<\/a> on Friday night that his affiliation for the rest of his term &ldquo;remains up in the air.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Kiley currently represents California&rsquo;s 3rd Congressional District, but he decided this week to run for the 6th Congressional District, in part because it&rsquo;s entirely in Sacramento County, where he grew up.<\/p>\n<p>Proposition 50, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fuzzy-math-several-house-seats-could-be-redrawn-before-2026-elections-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Fuzzy Math: Several ... seats could be redrawn before 2026 elections - Washington Examiner\">redistricting ballot measure<\/a> that passed last year, cut his current district into six parts, leaving him with fewer paths to return to Congress next year.<\/p>\n<p>Even though the newly drawn 6th District is &ldquo;Democratic-leaning,&rdquo; Kiley said voters there were more &ldquo;open-minded.&rdquo; He had considered running in the safely Republican 5th Congressional District, represented by Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tom-mcclintock\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"8959\">Tom McClintock<\/a> (R-CA), but ultimately ruled that out when he announced his reelection bid on Monday.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;While this will be a more challenging race, I believe we can build a winning coalition for common sense,&rdquo; he <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/KevinKileyCA\/status\/2028546420173853022?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/x.com\/KevinKileyCA\/status\/2028546420173853022?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet\">wrote on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Kiley has been opposed to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-does-the-process-of-redistricting-look-like\/\" title=\"What does the process of ... look like?\">partisan map-drawing<\/a> since the redistricting battle started last year, adding in his Friday statement that &ldquo;both parties are complicit.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Kiley will face a crowded field that includes former state Sen. Richard Pan and Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, both of whom are Democrats.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-issa-retires-again\">Issa retires again<\/h2>\n<p>Issa, who briefly retired in 2018 but has long been a fixture in California politics, said in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/darrellissa\/status\/2030110102317826239?s=46&amp;t=oYTIYwEqmPpaQCOEPM8xZA\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/x.com\/darrellissa\/status\/2030110102317826239?s=46&amp;t=oYTIYwEqmPpaQCOEPM8xZA\">lengthy statement<\/a> on social media that he is giving his &ldquo;enthusiastic endorsement&rdquo; to San Diego County Board Supervisor Jim Desmond in his run for Congress.<\/p>\n<p>Issa, who represents California&rsquo;s 48th Congressional District, will serve out the remainder of his term.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Jim is not only a personal friend, he&rsquo;s a true patriot, a Navy veteran, a successful businessman, and has a 20-year record of public service. He understands this community, was born and raised here, and will make a terrific Congressman,&rdquo; Issa said, adding he didn&rsquo;t make the decision &ldquo;lightly.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Friday&rsquo;s announcement is a reversal from Issa&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3908074\/darrell-issa-house-reelection-california\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3908074\/darrell-issa-house-reelection-california\/\">previous commitment<\/a> in December to run for another term in California. He had reportedly been considering a run in Texas instead.<\/p>\n<p>While he didn&rsquo;t directly attribute his decision to Proposition 50, the new California maps would have made it more difficult for Issa to win.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4477275\/kevin-kiley-run-california-redrawn-6th-congressional-district\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4477275\/kevin-kiley-run-california-redrawn-6th-congressional-district\/\">KEVIN KILEY TO RUN IN CALIFORNIA&rsquo;S REDRAWN 6TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Issa said in his statement that while he was confident he could have won again based on polling, he felt it was the &ldquo;right time for a new chapter and new challenges.&rdquo; By the time he leaves office in January 2027, he will have served more than 25 years in the House. He is a former chairman of the House Oversight Committee, a panel he used to investigate the Obama administration.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There is still work to be done throughout 2026 both in Washington and my beloved current 48th District,&rdquo; Issa wrote, &ldquo;and as many days that remain, I&rsquo;ll dedicate each one of them to the people I serve and the indispensable nation I have sworn to protect as a soldier in the Army and as a proud and grateful Member of the People&rsquo;s House of Representatives.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kiley runs as independent; Issa retires amid CA maps<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2159,"featured_media":2577119,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-collage-p3uu7y47z-1772855547807-e1772855690800.jpg?1772837679&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[70933,75274,75273,75272,7620],"class_list":["post-2577118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-california-politics-2","tag-darrell-issa","tag-independent-bid-2","tag-kevin-kiley-2","tag-retirement"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-collage-p3uu7y47z-1772855547807-e1772855690800.jpg?1772837679&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2577118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2159"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2577118"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2577118\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2577122,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2577118\/revisions\/2577122"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2577119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2577118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2577118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2577118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}