On Kevin Kiley’s Party Change

Editor,

Well, the big news in the current Third Congressional District of California is that our so-called “representative”, Kevin Kiley, is no longer a Republican. He has rebranded himself as an Independent (“No Party Preference” in California lingo). Oh, but don’t forget the small print: he will still caucus with the Republicans.

So, will anything change? Of course not. He will still refuse to meet with actual voters — unless, of course, they are major donors. He will continue to hide behind his self-proclaimed fantasy that he meets thousands of constituents through his tele-town halls — where he doesn’t have to see any angry faces, read protest signs, or take follow-ups to already carefully selected questions.

Why, then, this big change? Well, as always with Kiley, it has to do with self-interest. With the passage of Prop 50, he suddenly finds himself without a safe “red” district to perpetuate his power trip. After “careful” consideration, he has decided which new district will best suit his personal ambitions. Instead of going toe-to-toe with another current Republican Congressperson in a seemingly “red” district, he has decided to take his chances in a district leaning “blue”. So, what is his best approach to this new district and its voters? Why, it’s to make himself seem less like the MAGA Republican that he really is, i.e., to declare that he is not one of those distrusted Republicans — no, he’s really a true Independent.

Remember this, though, people: just because a leopard calls itself a lion doesn’t remove or change its spots. So, don’t expect Kiley’s record of voting against the best interests of his constituents to change — either before or after the election. Don’t expect his connection to the Trump apron strings to loosen even one tiny bit.

The only good thing I can think of when it comes to Mr. Kiley is that, after January 3, 2027, he will no longer be our “representative” in Congress. That’s because we have the good fortune of moving from Congressional District 3 to Congressional District 1 — and, also, because he has decided to run for re-election in Congressional District 6. However, for the next nine months, we are still stuck with this charlatan.

Paul Guffin

Downieville