Darrell Issa Becomes Latest Republican to Exit Congress as California Redistricting Reshapes Map

Longtime California Republican Congressman Darrell Issa announced late Friday that he will not seek reelection in 2026, citing radical redistricting forced by the state legislature that has effectively gerrymandered his southern California district beyond competitive viability for a Republican candidate. Issa's departure adds to a growing list of congressional retirements and vacancies that could complicate Republican efforts to maintain their narrow House majority in the 2026 midterms. The redistricting that drove Issa's decision is part of a broader pattern in which California's Democratic supermajority has used its control over the redistricting process to reduce the number of competitive seats in the nation's most populous state.