March 7, 2026 / 12:23 AM EST / CBS/AP
Three months after declaring “I’m not quitting,” Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California announced Friday that he will retire rather than mount a difficult reelection campaign in a redrawn district.
“It’s the right time for a new chapter and new challenges,” Issa said in a statement. “…Serving in Congress has been the honor of my life.”
A car alarm entrepreneur and one of the wealthiest members of Congress, Issa became a national figure as a leading critic of then-President Barack Obama and then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton while chairing the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee from 2011 to early 2015.
His abrupt reversal injects uncertainty into the contest for Southern California’s 48th District, which was substantially reshaped in November after voters approved a new U.S. House map intended to favor Democrats. With the incumbent stepping aside, Republicans may face a tougher fight to hold the seat and, by extension, protect the party’s narrow House majority.
Following redistricting, Issa briefly explored relocating to Texas to run there but ultimately stayed in California. At the time he insisted, “I can hold this seat. I’m not quitting on California and neither should anyone else,” referring to the district anchored in San Diego County.
California’s new congressional map, backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, aims to flip as many as five Republican-held seats this year as part of broader efforts to counter GOP gains in other states. The nationwide battle over partisan map-drawing continues: voters in Texas and North Carolina already cast primary ballots under maps shaped with former President Trump’s influence, while boundaries remain unsettled in states such as Missouri and Virginia amid legal challenges and referendums.
In a social media video Thursday, former President Obama urged Virginia voters to support redistricting efforts there. In announcing his retirement, Issa endorsed San Diego County Supervisor James Desmond to succeed him.