Veteran Republican Rep. Darrell Issa has decided not to seek reelection in California's newly redrawn 48th District, which spans San Diego and Riverside counties. The decision was confirmed by multiple sources, including GOP strategists familiar with his plans.
Key Takeaways
Veteran Republican Rep. Darrell Issa has announced he will not seek reelection in California's newly redrawn 48th District, which now favors Democrats. He endorsed Jim Desmond, a San Diego County Supervisor, to succeed him.
- Veteran GOP Rep. Darrell Issa retires from Congress after 23 years
- Endorses Jim Desmond for his seat in the newly configured district
- Redrawn district shifts advantage to Democratic voters by over four percentage points
- Issa's decision adds uncertainty to GOP efforts to maintain House control
Issa, who has represented various San Diego-area districts for over 23 years, announced his retirement on Friday. He endorsed Jim Desmond, a San Diego County Supervisor and Navy veteran, to succeed him in the newly configured district. Desmond withdrew from another congressional race to run in Issa's district.
The new district was redrawn under Proposition 50 to favor Democrats, with Democratic registered voters outnumbering Republicans by more than four percentage points. This is a significant shift from Issa’s current congressional district, which had a 12-percentage-point GOP edge in voter registration.
Issa's decision comes after speculation about his reelection plans following the redistricting. He had previously considered moving to Texas to run in a GOP-friendly district but ultimately decided to seek reelection in California. In December, Issa told Fox News that he believed the people of San Diego County would vote for him regardless of registration.
Issa's retirement injects more uncertainty into the race for Southern California’s 48th District and may make it harder for Republicans to hold the seat, potentially impacting the party's fragile majority in the House. Issa is considered one of the wealthiest members of Congress and made his fortune by transforming a struggling electronics business into the Viper car alarm system.
Issa initially announced his retirement from Congress in 2018 after narrowly winning his previous re-election bid but returned to Congress in 2021. He was an outspoken opponent of Proposition 50, which led to the redrawing of his district. After its passage last fall, he briefly contemplated moving to Dallas to run for Congress.
In a statement on Friday, Issa said, “After a quarter-century in Congress – and before that, a quarter-century in business – it’s the right time for a new chapter and new challenges.” He also mentioned that serving in Congress has been the honor of his life. His retirement announcement came on the last day he would have been able to file as a candidate.
Issa's abrupt reversal injects more uncertainty into the race for Southern California's 48th District, which was drastically reshaped after voters approved a new U.S. House map for California to favor Democrats. With an incumbent out of the running, it may be harder for Republicans to hold the seat and, by extension, the party's fragile majority in the House.
California's new congressional map, spearheaded by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, is intended to tip as many as five Republican-held seats to Democrats this year. This move aims to offset President Trump's push in Texas to gain five seats for his party there.
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