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<\/p>\nWashington \u2014 Rep. Kevin Kiley of California said Monday he was immediately leaving the Republican Party to become an independent. <\/p>\n
“I’m also today asking the clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives to have that reflected in the official roster,” Kiley said in a call with reporters.<\/p>\n
The move complicates House Speaker Mike Johnson’s narrow majority, though Kiley said he plans to caucus with the Republican Party “for the remainder of this term.”<\/p>\n
“That is how I was elected to begin this term,” he said.<\/p>\n
But Kiley would not say whether he would be a reliable vote for Johnson during procedural votes. Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, can afford to lose one vote, if all members are present and voting.<\/p>\n
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Rep. Kevin Kiley questions Attorney General Pam Bondi during the House Judiciary Committee hearing on Feb. 11, 2026. \/ Credit: Tom Williams\/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images<\/p>\n
(Tom Williams\/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Kiley’s switch means Republicans now hold 217 seats compared with Democrats’ 214, with three vacancies. Kiley is the only independent in the lower chamber.<\/p>\n
Kiley said he had a brief discussion with Johnson over the weekend about his plans.<\/p>\n
Asked whether his move could be framed as a falling out with the Republican Party, Kiley said he would “characterize it as my frustration with partisanship itself.”<\/p>\n
Kiley announced Friday he would run in California’s newly drawn 6th Congressional District as an independent, saying “political division has become a serious problem for our country.”<\/p>\n
“It is no secret I’ve been frustrated, at times disgusted, by the hyper-partisanship in Congress. In the last year it’s led to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, a massive increase in healthcare costs, and of course, a pointless redistricting war. The epidemic of gerrymandering has spread from Texas to California to states all across the country. Both parties are complicit,” he said<\/a> Friday.<\/p>\n The two-term congressman was critical of Johnson’s handling of the 43-day government shutdown that stretched from October to November. He also broke with his party to help force a vote on the now-expired Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits at the end of last year. More recently, he helped sink<\/a> a key procedural vote that would have barred lawmakers from overturning President Trump’s\u00a0sweeping global tariffs<\/a>.<\/p>\n Source: Havana Syndrome investigation is “a massive CIA cover-up” | 60 Minutes<\/a><\/p>\n “Framed”: Highlighting the art that surrounds art<\/a><\/p>\n