California Rep. Darrell Issa to retire – NBC Los Angeles

Just three months after declaring “I’m not quitting,” California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa announced Friday he is retiring instead of facing 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.”

Issa, a car alarm magnate considered one of the wealthiest members of Congress, had been a chief antagonist for President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton while he served as chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, from 2011 to early 2015.

Issa’s abrupt reversal injects more uncertainty in the race for Southern California’s 48th District, which was drastically reshaped in November after voters approved a new U.S. House map for California to favor Democrats.

With an incumbent out of the running, it may be harder for Republicans to hold the seat and, by extension, the party’s fragile majority in the House.

The House of Representatives will consider a bill to severely restrict the influence of federal court judges. The White House has bitterly complained that their efforts on immigration and budget reductions are being hampered by the courts. Congressman Darrell Issa of San Diego, who penned the No Rogue Rulings Act, speaks with NBC4’s Conan Nolan

After redistricting, Issa flirted with the idea of leaving California to run for Congress in Texas. But at the time he decided to stay put in his home state.

“I can hold this seat. I’m not quitting on California and neither should anyone else,” Issa, who represents a district anchored in San Diego County, said in a statement at the time.

California’s new congressional map, which was spearheaded by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, is intended to tip as many as five Republican-held seats to Democrats this year to offset President Donald Trump’s push in Texas to gain five seats for his party there.

What was behind voter turnout for Prop 50? Political analyst Dan Schnur joins Today in LA on Wednesday Nov. 5, 2025.

A national battle to redraw U.S. House districts for partisan advantage is still raging in some states ahead of the November midterm elections.

Voters in Texas and North Carolina already have cast ballots in primary elections for U.S. House districts redrawn at Trump’s urging. But the final boundaries for voting districts remain uncertain in Missouri, even though candidates already are filing for office. They also are unclear in Virginia, where new congressional districts could hinge both on a voter referendum and court rulings.

In his statement, Issa said he was endorsing San Diego County Supervisor James Desmond to succeed him.

Issa’s full statement is below:

“Today I’m announcing my enthusiastic endorsement of Supervisor Jim Desmond for Congress – to represent California’s new 48th district.

“Jim is not only a personal friend, he’s a true patriot, a Navy veteran, a successful businessman, and has a 20-year record of public service. He understands this community, was born and raised here, and will make a terrific Congressman.

“This decision has been on my mind for a while and I didn’t make it lightly.

“First, we built the right campaign infrastructure, support has been overwhelming — including from President Trump — and our polling was unmistakable: We would win this race.

“But after a quarter-century in Congress — and before that, a quarter-century in business — it’s the right time for a new chapter and new challenges.

“Serving in Congress has been the honor of my life, and every day my teams in Washington and California have worked to deliver for our constituents — like most recently gaining the Congressional Medal of Honor for the Secret Soldier of the Korean War, the great Royce Williams.

“A point about our campaign on behalf of Captain Williams: For a decade, my team and I waged a nonstop fight for Royce, and we were turned down on his behalf more times than I can remember.

“But that all changed this year. President Trump made Royce’s award possible, and when I witnessed the First Lady place the Medal of Honor on my hero, it was more than just a job done. It felt like a career accomplishment.

“There is still work to be done throughout 2026 both in Washington and my beloved current 48th District – and as many days that remain, I’ll dedicate each one of them to the people I serve and the indispensable nation I have sworn to protect as a soldier in the Army and as a proud and grateful Member of the People’s House of Representatives.”