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Mike Johnson loses another Republican as California congressman bolts from GOP

Kiley’s departure further narrows the margin Speaker Johnson can rely on to advance legislation.

Mike Johnson loses another Republican as California congressman bolts from GOP
Image · Yahoo News

SOURCE CHECK

TAP FOR WHY
Host credibilityYahoo News75/100 HIGH
This article1 analysis · Oct 9, 2026

Credibility rates Yahoo News, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.

Republished with credit

Republished from Advocate.com, with credit to the original publisher.

Advocate.com70/100 HIGH

100 stories · 69–71 · updated Oct 10, 2026

This is Advocate.com's own score, and this article is credited to Advocate.com. The host score in the Source Check is Yahoo News's.

Yahoo Newsvia Advocate.com
Mar 9, 2026
tl;dr

California Rep. Kevin Kiley announced he is leaving the Republican Party and will seek reelection as an independent, further tightening the House majority Speaker Mike Johnson can count on. Kiley said he will continue caucusing with Republicans.

Community verdict

VOTING CLOSED
How does this story look for
Mike Johnson R · LA-4
NOT RATEDCLOSED

No good or bad look here

This story reports what happened without casting Johnson in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Johnson’s record.

● INFORMATIONAL

People in this story

SWIPE →
Mike Johnson
R · LA-4

Speaker of the House whose narrow majority is further complicated by Kiley’s party switch

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Kevin Kiley
I · CA-3

California representative leaving the Republican Party and seeking reelection as an independent

Kiley's version of this story ↗
Tim Walberg
R · MI-5

Michigan representative who joined Kiley in a 2025 letter about California’s transgender student athletics policy

Part of a bigger story

2 OUTLETS
Kevin Kiley Changes His Party Affiliation
COVERAGE BY OUTLET LEANTHIS OUTLET
ARTICLES
2
OUTLETS
2
AVG CRED
73
ALSO ABOUTKevin Kiley

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