(SACRAMENTO, CA.) — Northern California Congressman Kevin Kiley announced he is leaving the Republican Party and will serve in Congress as an independent, a move that could reshape the political landscape in the Sacramento region ahead of the next election.
Kiley, who represents a district that includes parts of the Sacramento area and the Sierra foothills, said he intends to run for reelection as a candidate with No Party Preference, positioning himself outside the traditional party structure.
In a social media post on X, Kiley said “Today, I filed for reelection as ‘No Party Preference.’ This means I will not have a party affiliation on the ballot or as an officeholder.”
“That’s how it already is with most offices in our state: mayors, city councilors, school board members, county supervisors, sheriffs, and DAs are all nonpartisan,” he said. “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 to serve my constituents. I answer to you, not party leaders,” he added.
This decision comes as California’s congressional map shifts and the newly drawn 6th Congressional District leans more Democratic than the seat Kiley previously held. Running as an independent could allow Kiley to appeal to moderate Democrats and voters unaffiliated with either major party.
Representative Kevin Kiley cited partisan gerrymandering and gridlock as his primary reasons for seeking the "No Party Preference" designation for California’s newly redrawn 6th District.
“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,” Kiley said, in a statement and series of social media posts including on Instagram. “The evil of gerrymandering is that it slices up and tears apart communities in a way that erodes the fabric of representative government. That’s why I’ve opposed it everywhere—whether Texas or California, Indiana or Virginia.”
The move also has implications in Washington. Kiley’s departure from the GOP further narrows the already slim Republican majority in the U.S. House, though he has stated he will continue caucusing with Republicans for administrative purposes during the current term.
California’s top-two primary system will likely play a major role in the race. Under the system, all candidates appear on the same primary ballot and the top two vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation. A crowded Democratic field could potentially split the vote and allow Kiley to secure one of the two November spots.
Several Sacramento-area Democrats have been floated as possible contenders, including former state senator Richard Pan, Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, and Sacramento County Supervisor Martha Guerrero.
Kiley, a former state assemblymember first elected to Congress in 2022, rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic as a critic of California’s public health restrictions and an ally of the recall effort against Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Political analysts say the party switch could give Kiley a strategic advantage in a district trending more Democratic, while also allowing him to present himself as an independent voice amid growing polarization in Washington.
Still, the shift carries risks. Some Republican voters may be wary of the move, while Democrats are likely to argue that Kiley’s policy positions remain aligned with the GOP.
On Kiley’s own X post announcing the decision, public comments were a mixed bag, with some commenters showing support for Kiley’s decision, while others questioning his political loyalty:
With the next primary expected to draw multiple candidates, the Sacramento-area congressional race is shaping up to be one of the region’s most closely watched contests.
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