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Rep. Kevin Kiley leaves GOP to become an independent, complicating Johnson's majority

Kiley left the Republican Party while saying he would continue to caucus with Republicans for the rest of his term.

Rep. Kevin Kiley leaves GOP to become an independent, complicating Johnson's majority
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This article1 analysis · Oct 9, 2026
CBS News
Mar 9, 2026
tl;dr

Rep. Kevin Kiley said he is leaving the Republican Party to become an independent, though he plans to caucus with Republicans for the rest of his term. The switch complicates Speaker Mike Johnson’s narrow House majority, and Kiley did not say whether he would reliably support Johnson on procedural votes.

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22 VOTES
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Kevin Kiley I · CA-3
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Kevin Kiley
I · CA-3

California representative leaving the Republican Party to become an independent

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Mike Johnson
R · LA-4

Speaker of the House whose narrow majority is affected by Kiley’s switch

Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President whose tariffs were the subject of a procedural vote

Part of a bigger story

18 OUTLETS
Kevin Kiley Leaves GOP to Run for Reelection as an Independent

Outlets agree Rep. Kevin Kiley announced he is leaving the Republican Party and becoming an independent as he seeks reelection. They also report he plans to keep caucusing with Republicans for the rest of his current term. The sides share a focus on the House majority’s implications, but differ in added emphasis. Left-leaning outlets emphasize the majority impact and, in some accounts, critical reactions to Kiley. Center outlets pair House arithmetic with his stated reasons and redistricting context, while one takes a more skeptical view of his reelection prospects. Right-leaning outlets foreground partisan gridlock and redistricting alongside uncertainty for the GOP majority.

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