Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., will be running as an independent in his bid to keep his job.
Kiley, first elected in 2022, made the announcement Friday, months after California redistricting would have forced him to run in a redrawn district that now leans Democrat.
"Gerrymandering is a plague on democracy, one that Gavin Newsom has brought back to California," Kiley wrote in a lengthy post on social media. "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 Preference," Kiley added. "This means I will not have a party affiliation on the ballot or as an officeholder."
"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," Kiley continued. "I answer to you, not party leaders."
Since California redrew his district, Kiley has been critical of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and co-sponsored legislation to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies.
"It is no secret I've been frustrated, at times disgusted, by the hyper-partisanship in Congress," Kiley wrote. "In the last year it's led to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, a massive increase in healthcare costs, and of course, a pointless redistricting war."
"If there is one thing Americans agree on, it is that political division has become a serious problem for our country," Kiley added. "We need to find ways for politics to bring us together as Americans rather than tear us apart as partisans."
Kiley will be running in California's 6th Congressional District after previously representing the 3rd Congressional District.
He has already raised $2.1 million for his reelection as of 2025, far outpacing his rivals.
The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election handicapper, lists the district as solid Democrat.
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