Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) called out Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) over their responses to redistricting efforts across the country, saying the chaos needs to end.
“Ultimately I think that the Speaker needs to step up and show some leadership here because even our own members in states that might in some theoretical way, mathematical way stand to benefit from new maps, they don’t like what’s going on either,” Kiley told MSNBC’s Chris Jansing on Tuesday. “They don’t like the prospect of having their district broken up or having communities they’ve represented, been voted in by, taken out of their district.”
Kiley, who represents a competitive House district, said he will introduce legislation on Monday that would block states from redrawing their congressional districts prior to the 2030 census.
“It’s not a good thing for either Democrats or Republicans. It’s certainly not a good thing for the country,” he continued. “So I think that the Speaker and Leader Jeffries need to show some leadership here to bring this chaos to an end, and I think that the bill that I have offered gives them the opportunity to do just that.”
In the same interview, Kiley also criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) efforts to redraw maps in California as a means of fighting back against Republican redistricting efforts in red states. Newsom has said he wants to abolish the state’s independent redistricting commission.
“The old saying is that voters should choose their representatives; representatives shouldn’t choose their voters,” Kiley said. “And I think that what’s happening right now across the country, and especially in California, is a very unhealthy thing for democracy.”
The redistricting fight jumped into overdrive in Texas this week after state Democratic lawmakers fled the Lone Star State for blue states including Illinois, Massachusetts and New York.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) called for those lawmakers to be arrested and brought back to the state.
