U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley announced this month that he has left the Republican Party and will seek reelection to Congress as an independent candidate, filing under California’s “No Party Preference” ballot designation.
Kiley first announced the change in a video posted March 6, saying he would file for reelection as an independent in the newly drawn 6th congressional district. He attributed the decision to the impact of gerrymandering, which he called “a plague on democracy” brought to the state by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Kiley represents California’s 3rd congressional district, where he was first elected to the seat as a Republican in the 2022 general election and reelected in 2024. Prior to his time in Congress, Kiley served several terms in the California State Assembly and was also a candidate during the state’s 2021 gubernatorial recall election.
“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 said. “I answer to you, not party leaders. That’s the kind of representation I believe the newly drawn Sixth District deserves.”
Kiley also expressed frustration with what he called “hyper-partisanship” in Congress, which he said has contributed to political gridlock, the 2025 government shutdown, rising healthcare costs, and ongoing redistricting disputes across the country. He likened the practice of partisan gerrymandering to an epidemic starting in Texas and spreading across multiple states and argued that both major parties share responsibility.
He further warned that political division is a serious problem for the country, saying the current moment requires leaders to move beyond partisan conflict and focus on practical solutions to economic challenges.
“We are also living in a moment of dramatic transformation, where technological change could bring incredible opportunities along with unfamiliar risks and dislocations,” Kiley said. “The ordinary rituals of partisan politics are simply inadequate in these extraordinary times – are simply incapable of meeting this generational challenge.”
In the days following, Kiley held a press conference where he said he immediately intends to change his party registration in the House for the remainder of his current term. According to media reports from the conference, Kiley said he would submit a letter to the House clerk on March 9 reflecting the change, which would make him the chamber’s only independent member. Despite the shift, Kiley said he will continue to caucus with House Republicans and retain his current committee assignments.
Kiley is the first independent candidate to file for the primary in his district. He joins a field that currently includes nine other Republican and Democratic candidates. Under California’s nonpartisan “top-two” primary system, all candidates appear on the same primary ballot, with the two candidates receiving the most votes advancing to the general election regardless of party affiliation.
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