Will California Independent Kevin Kiley Win His Fight?

Rep. Kevin Kiley (CA-06) has been in the fight of his political career after California Gov. Gavin Newsom succeeded in getting Prop 50, his redistricting scam, voted through. Newsom has targeted Kiley's seat before. In 2024, Newsom handpicked former staffer Jessica Morse to go up against Kiley, but she lost resoundingly. Kiley has been a thorn in Newsom's side since 2020, when Kiley was an Assemblyman and sued Newsom for his COVID lockdown policies (and won). Kiley then ran for governor in the 2021 recall election. As petty as he is unctuous, Newsom hatcheted up Kiley's District 3 and moved the components into two districts: 5 and 6. Kiley chose to run in District 6, which encompasses heavily Democrat voting blocs within Sacramento. Kiley also chose to register as No Party Preference or Independent for various reasons, most pointedly to enhance his chances in a mixed district.

After voters approved Prop 50 last year, dividing Kevin Kiley’s current U.S. House district into several pieces, the incumbent congressman faced a tough decision. Where would he run for reelection?
After spending several months weighing the possibilities, the then-Republican representative announced in March he would run in the 6th Congressional District, eschewing a campaign against GOP Rep. Tom McClintock in the 5th Congressional District for an uphill battle in the much bluer 6th District.
Then, Kiley announced another surprise: he would serve the rest of his current term as an independent, though he clarified that he would still caucus with the GOP.
Kiley opted to run under a “no party preference” designation in the midterms, citing frustration with “hyper-partisanship” in Congress and blaming both parties for a “pointless redistricting war” that culminated in California’s Proposition 50, which split up his current 3rd Congressional District in a gerrymander favoring Democrats.
The new 6th District includes West Sacramento, Natomas and parts of northern Sacramento, along with sections of Roseville, Rocklin and Citrus Heights.
With high name recognition and no major Republican primary contender, Kiley is likely to advance to the general election in the 6th District. He will likely face one of four Democratic contenders, all of whom are familiar faces in northern California.

Kiley not only has the name recognition but also the reputation. While some of his votes have been head scratchers, his two terms in Congress have reflected that he fights for his constituents and in what he believes is constitutional and right.

We just dropped off our ballots. Make sure to get yours in by 8 PM tomorrow. California is worth fighting for! pic.twitter.com/ZEPrVXqdlM
— Kevin Kiley (@KevinKileyCA) June 1, 2026

Kiley also has a record of common sense, long before it became a popular theme for the L.A. mayor and Republican political candidate for governor. He was the representative who spearheaded cutting off federal funding for Newsom's high-speed rail boondoggle and Newsom's pipe dream of banning gas-powered automobiles by 2035.

Education Dept. Official Exposes the Scary Amount of Student Aid Fraud in MN... and CA

Californians are clearly underwhelmed by leading candidates for Governor promising to maintain the status quo when we lead the nation in cost-of-living, unemployment, and homelessness.

Voters consistently say California is on the wrong track and want a return to common sense. pic.twitter.com/bu7FYPtFKN
— Kevin Kiley (@KevinKileyCA) May 30, 2026

What people fail to realize about the state of California is that, despite the deep blue progressive governance that has dictated much of its policies, many Californians are neither team red nor team blue. They just want life and their state to work and their elected representatives to work for them, and not just for themselves.

That is the factor that could guarantee Kiley pulls off a win in this newly reconstituted district. With 45 percent of precincts reporting, Kiley is leading the race and will more than likely make the Top 2 for the November election.

DDHQ Race Update (est. 46% in): California US House 6 Primary

Kevin Kiley (I): 21,781 (24.9%)
Richard Pan (D): 19,897 (22.7%)
Michael Stansfield (R): 18,767 (21.4%)
Thien Ho (D): 10,231 (11.7%)
Lauren Tomlinson (D): 9,267 (10.6%)

Follow more results here:… pic.twitter.com/MpAqTeUWj3
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) June 3, 2026

As the votes in California continue to be counted, only time will tell.

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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