Congressman Kevin Kiley Alleges "Elephant-Shaped" District Gerrymandered by Newsom

Congressman Kevin Kiley (R-CA) recently took to social media, accusing California Governor Gavin Newsom of attempting to gerrymander his congressional district. In a tweet, Kiley claimed Newsom's efforts resulted in his district being shaped like an "elephant," with the "trunk" designed to capture a high concentration of Democratic voters. Kiley asserted, > "Newsom is so desperate to get rid of me he's gerrymandered my district in the shape of an elephant. The 'trunk' captures as many Democrat voters as possible.

California's congressional and legislative districts are drawn by the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission, a non-partisan body established by voters to remove political influence from the process. This commission finalized the current district maps in December 2021, which became effective for the 2022 election cycle. The commission's mandate is to create fair and representative districts based on population and community interests, without considering partisan data or protecting incumbents.

Kiley, who serves as the U.S. Representative for California's 3rd congressional district, is a prominent Republican known for his frequent criticism of Governor Newsom. Despite the district lines being drawn by the independent commission, Kiley's tweet suggests a perceived ongoing political effort or the strategic impact of the existing boundaries. He successfully won his seat in the 2022 election under these new district lines.

The Congressman expressed strong confidence in his ability to overcome these alleged electoral challenges. Kiley concluded his social media statement with defiance, stating, "Like all his attempts, this will fail. We'll keep beating him at the ballot box and the Capitol." This indicates his resolve to continue his political work and challenge what he views as partisan maneuvers.