GOP Rep Launches Bid To Overcome Newsom Roadblock
California’s escalating redistricting battle has produced an unusual political maneuver, as one Republican congressman attempts a last-ditch strategy to survive a dramatically reshaped electoral map.
Rep. Kevin Kiley of California announced Friday that he will seek reelection not as a Republican, but as an independent candidate under the state’s “No Party Preference” designation. The move comes after Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom backed a controversial redistricting overhaul that is expected to significantly reshape several congressional districts and potentially add multiple Democratic seats to the House.
In a video posted to X, Kiley framed the decision as a response to what he called a partisan gerrymander that threatens to dismantle his political base.
“Gerrymandering is a plague on democracy, one that Gavin Newsom has brought back to California,” Kiley said. “But there’s a way we can fight back and protect our democracy from his partisan games: by removing partisanship from the equation.”
Kiley confirmed that he filed for reelection with “No Party Preference,” meaning his party affiliation will not appear next to his name on the ballot if he advances through California’s primary system. Under state law, many local offices already operate under similar nonpartisan structures, including mayoral races, city councils, and county positions.
Gerrymandering is a plague on democracy, one that Gavin Newsom has brought back to California. But there’s a way we can fight back and protect our democracy from his partisan games: by removing partisanship from the equation. Today, I filed for reelection as “No Party… pic.twitter.com/OhGDzKtPEp
— Kevin Kiley (@KevinKileyCA) March 7, 2026
The congressman currently represents a large rural and suburban district that favored Donald Trump by four percentage points in the 2024 presidential election. However, the new map approved by voters through Proposition 50 in November 2025 effectively dismantles that district. Its territory has been divided among six newly drawn seats, leaving Kiley to compete in a newly configured Sixth District that former Vice President Kamala Harris carried by double digits in 2024.
California’s “top-two” primary system adds another layer of complexity. All candidates compete on the same ballot during the June 2 primary, and the two candidates receiving the most votes advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation. By removing a Republican label from his candidacy, Kiley appears to be attempting to broaden his appeal in a district that now leans heavily Democratic.
In his announcement, Kiley said he has long viewed his role as an independent voice for constituents rather than a partisan figure.
“As an elected representative, I’ve always seen my role as being an independent voice for our community, holding politicians in Sacramento and Washington accountable,” he said. “I answer to you, not party leaders.”
Kiley also criticized the broader political climate in Washington, citing the record 43-day government shutdown in 2025, rising healthcare costs, and an intensifying national redistricting battle between states.
“The epidemic of gerrymandering has spread from Texas to California to states all across the country,” he said. “Both parties are complicit.”
Last year, Kiley introduced legislation aimed at banning mid-decade redistricting entirely, though the proposal never reached a vote on the House floor.
The congressman did not clarify whether he would continue caucusing with Republicans if reelected as an independent. At present, he remains a registered Republican and a member of the GOP conference.
The redistricting fight has already claimed another casualty. Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, whose district was also heavily altered by the Newsom-backed map, announced Friday that he will not seek reelection. His newly drawn district includes significantly more Democratic voters, making a Republican victory far more difficult.
If Kiley ultimately wins reelection as an independent, he would become one of the rare lawmakers to do so in modern congressional politics. The last independent to win reelection to the House was Vermont’s Bernie Sanders in 2004, long before he moved to the Senate. More recently, Michigan Rep. Paul Mitchell briefly served as an independent after leaving the Republican Party in the final weeks of his term in 2020.