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California congressman left GOP to try to survive redistricting competition
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- California Democrats redrew GOP Rep. Kevin Kiley’s district into multiple parts, merging the conservative area where voter Anne Smull lives into a heavily Democratic district, preventing her from voting for Kiley.
- The redistricting is seen as retaliation for Republican-led map changes in states like Texas, which aimed to create more GOP-friendly districts following a Supreme Court ruling weakening the Voting Rights Act.
- Kiley switched from Republican to independent to run in the newly Democratic-leaning district but continues to caucus with Republicans, drawing criticism from Democrats who view his move as a political tactic.
- Democrats in Placer County, historically Republican, see the redistricting as a rare chance to gain representation, while some local conservatives feel disenfranchised and express frustration over partisan gerrymandering.
- The ongoing cycle of partisan redistricting in various states leaves many voters feeling excluded and powerless, as both parties engage in map-drawing strategies to secure electoral advantages.
