California Republican Representative Kevin Kiley announced Monday that he will seek reelection in the state’s newly redrawn 6th congressional district, opting for a competitive race in a Democratic stronghold over a primary battle against a fellow Republican.
The move comes after a redistricting process, supported by Governor Gavin Newsom, dismantled Kiley’s current Sacramento Valley seat. While the congressman’s original district was carried by Donald Trump by four points in 2024, the new 6th district favored Kamala Harris by nine points in the same election.
Kiley had previously explored a run in the neighboring 5th district against incumbent GOP Representative Tom McClintock. Despite internal polling suggesting a favorable outcome in that “safe” Republican territory, Kiley stated on X that he decided against it because the district did not include his hometown.
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“Doing what’s easy and what’s right are often not the same,” Kiley wrote. “Seeking office in a district that doesn’t include my hometown didn’t feel right.”
The redistricting map, which Kiley has characterized as a partisan gerrymander, split his current territory into six different pieces. In response, Kiley launched a media blitz in 2025 and introduced House legislation to ban mid-decade redistricting nationwide, though the bill never reached a vote.
Kiley has recently established a record of bucking party lines on specific issues. In February, he was one of three House Republicans to vote against President Trump’s tariffs on Canada. In January, he voted to override presidential vetoes on bipartisan bills concerning a clean water pipeline and American Indian land management. He also recently criticized Speaker Mike Johnson on the House floor for failing to prevent the “redistricting war” currently impacting several states.
Under California’s “top-two” primary system, Kiley will face a crowded field. Republican challengers include Craig Deluz, Christine Bish, and Raymond Reihle. The Democratic roster features West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero, Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, former State Senator Richard Pan, and Planned Parenthood leader Lauren Babb Tomlinson.
The current representative for the 6th district, Democrat Ami Bera, is shifting his campaign to the redrawn 3rd district. By choosing this path, Kiley avoids the intra-party collision currently occurring in Southern California, where Republican Representatives Young Kim and Ken Calvert are facing off for the new 41st district.
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