California Republican Kevin Kiley Quits GOP to Sit as Independent
Rep. Kevin Kiley of California announced on Monday that he is immediately leaving the Republican Party to become an independent, a move that further complicates the House Republican majority.
Kiley said he would file a letter with the House clerk at once to formally drop his Republican affiliation. The decision accelerates a transition he had previously signalled: Kiley had already announced his intention to seek re-election in the upcoming midterms as an independent, but he opted to make the break official without waiting.
The timing of the switch carries practical consequences for House Republicans, who hold a narrow majority. Losing even a single member to the independent column tightens the margin available to Republican leadership when advancing legislation, a dynamic CBS News noted in describing the move as one that complicates the majority.
Kiley represents a California district and has been a member of the House Republican conference. His departure underscores the tensions within the party, though neither he nor the sources describing his announcement elaborated publicly on Monday on the specific grievances that drove him to act now rather than waiting until the next election cycle.
