Republican Congressman Turned Independent Now Says He’s Open to Caucusing With Dems

Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-CA), who recently left the GOP to become an Independent, told Stephen A. Smith that he would be open to caucusing with Democrats if reelected to Congress.

Kiley switched parties after changing districts due to California’s gerrymandering to make it more difficult for GOP members to keep their seats. California gerrymandered its map, in a rare mid-decade move, following President Donald Trump’s urging Texas Republicans to eliminate the Democratic Party’s seats in that state, which they did. Kiley lost his committee assignments after switching parties, but is hoping to get them back.

Kiley was on SiriusXM’s Straight Shooter with Stephen A. on Thursday and was asked, “Will you still be caucusing with the Republicans?”

“For the remainder of this term, yes, because that is the way the rules are set up right now is that essentially to be a fully functioning member of the House, you have to caucus with one of the two parties. And since that’s how I was elected at the beginning of this term, I think that makes sense,” Kiley replied.

“That’s totally fair. Totally understand that, sir. But respectfully, what does independence look like in practice if you still have to caucus with the Republicans? I’m just asking because I don’t know,” followed up Smith.

“I mean, in practice, it actually is a reflection of the way I’ve generally approached my job, is that, regardless of my party label I’ve always said I’m going to be an independent voice for my district. And sometimes I voted with Republican leadership. Other times I’ve gone against what the rest of our party did on particular issues because I’ve always said that I answer to my constituents as opposed to party leaders in Washington, D.C. So I think that this new designation is simply a reflection of that philosophy that I’ve had all along. And hopefully maybe it’ll inspire some others to take the same approach,” Kiley replied.

Later in the interview Smith asked, “Well, you’re certainly not planning – it doesn’t appear like you’re planning on leaving office. And to be quite honest with you, I’m glad that you’re not. Let me state that for obvious reasons. But you’ve left open the possibility of caucusing with the Democrats next term. What specifically will Republicans have to do or fail to do to lose your support?”

“Well, what I’ve said is that I think that if you’re going to be Independent, then you shouldn’t prejudge these things, right? And so I’ve said I’m going to caucus with the Republicans for the remainder of this term because that’s how I was elected. When it comes to the new term, who I’m going to caucus with, what the Speaker’s – who I’m going to vote for for Speaker – I think I’ll look at it at the time and say, all right, what is going to be best for the folks that I represent. And you know, I think a lot’s going to happen between now and the next election. I think that I’ll have by that point almost a year of having been an Independent in the House. And so I’ll make that decision at the time,” Kiley concluded.

Watch the full clip above.

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