California GOP Rep Darrell Issa caught on hot mic discussing fallout from Dems’ redistricting win
NEW: Caught on a pool camera before President Trump's trilateral peace deal signing, @repdarrellissa is overheard discussing CA-40 redistricting, seeming to suggest @RepYoungKim should not run against Rep. @KenCalvert.
— Cassie Semyon (@casssemyon) December 4, 2025
"Ken [Calvert] has nowhere else to go. She [Young Kim] does… pic.twitter.com/hZu5UNnZX2
WASHINGTON, DC: A hot-mic moment involving California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa revealed internal GOP maneuvering over the state’s newly redrawn congressional map, following voters’ approval of a sweeping redistricting overhaul expected to benefit Democrats.
Issa was caught on camera discussing election strategy during President Donald Trump’s peace deal signing between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The exchange came just weeks after Californians overwhelmingly passed Proposition 50, a measure that reshaped multiple congressional districts and set up high-stakes political battles across the state.
Darrell Issa caught on hot mic discussing GOP strategy in CA-40 race
As cameras rolled ahead of the diplomatic ceremony, Issa was heard discussing the emerging Republican clash between Rep Ken Calvert and Rep Young Kim in California’s newly configured 40th Congressional District.
“Ken has nowhere else to go,” Issa said. “[Kim] does have a hard seat she could go to, and I know the administration would look favorably if she would do that.
And then if she doesn’t win, you know, she could go to the administration for two years. With Ken, we need him exactly where he is, and most of this district is or has been his. If anyone else had a claim for it, it’d be me.”
His remarks appeared to suggest that the Trump administration would prefer Kim step aside, allowing Calvert to retain the newly drawn district without an internal fight.
The district lines now incorporate a significant portion of Calvert’s current 41st District, creating an unavoidable collision between the two incumbents unless one chooses to run elsewhere.
Proposition 50 reshaped California districts in Democrats’ favor
Last month, California voters approved Proposition 50 by a wide margin, triggering a major overhaul of the state’s congressional boundaries.
The measure is expected to increase Democratic representation in the US House and was widely viewed as a response to Republican-backed redistricting in other states, including Texas.
The new maps forced several incumbents into overlapping districts, most notably Calvert and Kim.
A previous Politico analysis noted that more than half of Calvert’s current district will now fall within the new CA-40, raising the stakes for both lawmakers.
Other states are also weighing similar redistricting measures, reflecting a broader national struggle over who controls the next decade of congressional maps.
Darrell Issa’s political future questioned amid redistricting turmoil
While Issa was offering advice on the Calvert-Kim dilemma, his own political future has faced scrutiny. Reports previously indicated that Issa explored relocating to Texas to remain in Congress as his prospects in California became more uncertain.
He later downplayed that possibility, but the new hot-mic recording has revived speculation about internal Republican coordination as the party scrambles to adapt to California’s shifting political landscape.
The moment captured the level of behind-the-scenes strategy already underway as Republicans look to limit losses in a state where the latest redistricting round is widely expected to strengthen Democratic influence.
