The nationwide redistricting war has claimed one of its staunchest critics, with Republican-turned-independent Rep. Kevin Kiley projected to lose reelection in California’s newly redrawn 6th Congressional District.
Kiley became one of the most outspoken critics of redistricting in the House of Representatives as it became clear he might become a victim of it. He introduced legislation that would halt a burgeoning nationwide redistricting battle in August 2025 and a discharge petition in May that would force a vote on his bill — though his legislative push to end the redistricting war went nowhere.
“I spoke with Richard Pan and congratulated him on being elected to represent the 6th District,” he said on social media. “I’m proud of our campaign and grateful for the amazing support of so many people. Thank you for believing California is worth fighting for.”
After Texas’ move to gerrymander out five Democratic-held seats, California Democrats countered with Proposition 50, a ballot initiative which would effectively carve out as many new Democratic-leaning seats. Kiley excoriated gerrymandering anywhere as a “plague on our democracy.”
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“This is insanity. Where does it end?” he asked on the House floor in September 2025, lamenting that “My own district, for example, under a newly proposed map, would be cut into six different pieces.”
Prop 50 passed in November 2025 with nearly two-thirds of the vote. Kiley then chose to run in a geographically smaller district that includes parts of Sacramento after his district was split six ways across the newly gerrymandered House map.
In March, he announced he had changed voter registration and party designation from Republican to independent, explaining in a House floor speech that he sought to be “an independent voice for the communities that I represent.”
Despite the switch, Kiley continued to support the Republican House majority on most party-line votes, but voted against the GOP’s second reconciliation bill.
He will be succeeded in Congress by Democrat Richard Pan, a pediatrician and former California state senator. He ran on a promise to stand up to President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., blasting their moves on health care and vaccines as harmful to families and children.
Kiley, who has only served in Congress since January 2023, was the House’s preeminent critic of California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
He wrote a 200-plus-page book titled “Recall Newsom” and ran for governor during the failed 2021 recall effort, placing sixth among the Newsom alternatives.
Kiley used the early months of Trump’s return to office to champion federal efforts that would curb California policy, including its status as a sanctuary state, its promotion of electric vehicles and its long-delayed high-speed rail program.
Across both his terms in Congress, Kiley introduced one bill that was signed into law: H.R. 9124 named a Veterans Affairs Clinic in his district after Lt. Cmdr.i Louis A. Conter, the last survivor of the USS Arizona.
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