Veteran Rep. Darrell Issa decides not to seek reelection in new Democratic-leaning district, sources say

Emily Singer at Daily Kos:

Republicans are up in arms after California Gov. Gavin Newsom set a special election to fill a GOP-held House seat for Aug. 4—the latest date he could under state law. The move ensures that the seat—left vacant when Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa died unexpectedly on Jan. 6—will be open for eight months, thereby robbing House Speaker Mike Johnson of a critical vote in his narrow and unruly majority. “Gavin Newsom’s decision to punt this special election to August is a blatant waste of taxpayer dollars and a disservice to the people of California’s First District," National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Richard Hudson whined in a statement. "He could have scheduled this election alongside the June primary, but instead chose to leave this seat vacant for months. Californians deserve a voice in Congress, and Newsom is denying them one for purely political reasons.”

Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California also complained, writing in a post on X, "When its [sic] a Democrat seat, Newsom says the goal is representation as soon as possible. When its [sic] Republican, he purposely leaves constituents stranded." Of course, Newsom was just giving Republicans a taste of their own medicine. GOP governors have held Democratic-leaning seats open for even longer, as a way to help House Republicans. For example, a safely Democratic House seat in Houston will have been vacant roughly 11 months, after Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott played politics and called a special election for the latest date he could. In Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis kept the seat of the late Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings vacant for nine months, starting in 2021. That robbed Democrats of a vote in a critical period of then-President Joe Biden's first year in office.

Every single election in California is done through the jungle primary system.

It’s not just governor. I’m afraid that might be news to some people.

And I’m pretty worried I’m too late with making this post. The election ends a week from tomorrow.

When California redistricted with Prop 50, that meant the districts changed. That did not mean the system changed.

It is still completely possible that Republicans get elected in those districts because the top two of either party go to the general election.

And if Republicans have two viable candidates and we have 3? In these districts that are now light blue? Chances are, two Republicans are going to the general election.

One example of that is Darrell Issa’s current district, CA-48. But keep in mind, this is only ONE example.

Republican Jim Desmond is currently a member of the San Diego Board of Supervisors and he has 29% in the latest poll, with 39% who have already voted for him.

He will definitely be in the general election. Why? Republicans consolidated their support. They know how the jungle primary system works, and they want to be in the conversation.

And that should be enough, but where Republicans get it, Democrats REALLY don’t.

Because the Democrat vote seems to be split: Marni Von Wilpert, who is on the San Diego city council, at 9% in both polling and those who already voted, and Ammar Campa-Najjar at 9% in polling and 11% in those who have already voted.

Kevin O’Neil, a Republican businessman, at 10% in polling and 9% in already voted, could join Desmond in the general election, locking Democrats out.

Now yes, this is just one poll, from KGTV 10 and San Diego Union Tribune, but their already voted numbers match up.

In this poll, 25% of people are still undecided. The thing is, we don’t know what they’re undecided from. Are these people who are just figuring out which Dem to vote for or are they deciding between the two Republicans or maybe one of the Dems and one of the Republicans?

It is still fully possible that Kevin O’Neil takes second place if those undecideds were split too.

And I know what you’re gonna say, “but that’s not happening in this climate, it was unfounded with governor and it will be unfounded here.”

It wasn’t unfounded with governor, we worked our ASSES off to make sure one of the Dems was in the general, and we did it SO well, we might even lock Republicans out of the general instead.

And that’s my hope, at this point. Not because I think two Dems should ever go to the general election, I don’t. But because if Democrats hate the jungle primary system and Republicans hate the jungle primary system, maybe we can fast track getting rid of it before 2028 and get a ballot measure for next year — like what happened with Prop 50.

Because it’s scary every single time. And there were several times in 2025 that we could have easily flipped Republican seats in the State Legislature that we lost out on because we had too many Dems running.

It sucks. The primary SHOULD be about voting for your favorite candidate. We shouldn’t be having to consolidate support behind one candidate before voting for the primary even begins.

But in California and Washington (and Louisiana…kinda), that’s the current reality.

So please, if you haven’t voted yet find out if there is a risk of Dems, at any level, being locked out of your general election. Check the polls, check what local organizations are saying, even ask on social media.

If Darrell Issa is replaced by Jim Desmond or Kevin O’Neil, what was the point of Prop 50 in the first place?

Darrell Issa with Judge Jeanine discussing the Democrats’ witch hunt and how the Attorney General should handle things.