California House Republican announces he's leaving GOP immediately, thinning slim majority

By Fox News · Fox News

A House lawmaker from deep-blue California is leaving the GOP effective immediately, cutting Republicans' slim margin even thinner, his office confirmed to Fox News Digital on Monday. Rep. Kevin Kiley, I-Calif., had already announced his intention to run as an Independent candidate in a Democrat-leaning district in the November midterms, but he is now deciding to take on the new political identity early. "This last week, we registered under no party preference in California," Kiley told local reporters, according to a recording obtained by Fox News Digital. "I'm also today asking the clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives to have that reflected in the official roster…so I will be the sole Independent member of the House of Representatives." House Republicans are already dealing with a razor-thin majority of just one vote, which is expected to grow to a two-vote margin after a special election in a deep-red Georgia district this week. TOP MARYLAND DEMOCRAT DEFIES JEFFRIES ON MID-CYCLE REDISTRICTING PUSH TO BOOT STATE'S LONE REPUBLICAN Kiley said he would still caucus with Republicans, however, in order to retain his committee assignments in the House. "The rules of the House of Representatives essentially force you, as an administrative matter, to caucus with one party or the other, which, by the way, I don't think is a good thing," Kiley said. " For example, your committee assignments run through the parties, and so it really, you know, forces you to be associated in that administrative sense with one caucus or another in order to function and be able to serve your constituents in the House." Kiley's decision to run as an Independent comes after his current seat in California's 3rd congressional district was redrawn to lean more heavily toward Democrats. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a potential White House candidate for the 2028 cycle, led the charge in redrawing the maps to more heavily favor Democrats despite the objections of Golden State Republicans. It wa…