California Rep. Kevin Kiley Leaves GOP to Sit as Independent

California Rep. Kevin Kiley announced he is leaving the Republican Party to become an independent, changing his registration to no party preference while saying he will continue to caucus with Republicans for administrative purposes. The move comes amid a tough reelection fight after redistricting, and it marginally shrinks Speaker Mike Johnson’s already narrow GOP majority, though Kiley’s continued caucusing with the party could limit any immediate impact. He indicated he will decide his caucus alignment for the next term based on constituents’ needs and has long opposed mid-decade redistricting.