California Republican Darrell Issa Announces Retirement at Filing Deadline
Issa's congressional district was reconfigured following the passage of Prop 50 in California last year.
U.S. Representative Darrell Issa of California, a Republican, has today decided not to run for re-election in 2026. His official statement can be read here. He becomes the 56th retirement from the U.S. House of Representatives this cycle, the 34th Republican to do so, and the 29th leaving without running for another office.
Issa, 72, has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since January 2021 - holding the 50th District from January 2021 to January 2023 and the 48th District since January 2023. Previously, he represented the 49th District from January 2001 to January 2019.
Issa’s district was one of five Republican-held seats targeted in redistricting through Prop 50 last year. Its passage changed the lines to a district that combines suburban communities in San Diego County with the heavily-Democratic city of Palm Springs in Riverside County. Instead of having a safe seat, Issa was tasked with defending territory that would lean towards the Democratic candidate now.
Issa has been on retirement watch since the new maps were enacted. Several months ago, reports emerged that he was thinking of moving to Texas to run for a new district designed to flip from Democrat to Republican there. He denied the story and reaffirmed his plan to defend the 48th District in California. Earlier today, San Diego County supervisor Jim Desmond announced his bid for the 48th District as a Republican. He had already been running for over a year for the neighboring 49th District held by Democrat Mike Levin. Now, he’ll be the most significant Republican in the race for the 48th - running with Issa’s endorsement. Multiple Democrats are campaigning for the right to flip the seat. The three most prominent are 2018/2020 runner-up Ammar Campa-Najjar, entrepreneur Brandon Riker, and San Diego city councilor Marni von Wilpert.
This week saw multiple members of Congress coordinate their retirements at their state’s filing deadlines to boost the chances of their chosen successors. It was notable earlier this week in Montana when both U.S. Senator Steve Daines and U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke engaged in these schemes. To Desmond’s credit, he was already an announced congressional candidate before today’s move and talked about running here if Issa decided to retire. Those rumors proved to be correct when the political press caught wind of them months ago.
Issa’s retirement continues another story that’s emerged throughout the 2026 cycle. This year has proven to be one of generational change in the U.S. House of Representatives. Issa becomes the sixth Republican over 70 to retire - joining Vern Buchanan of Florida (74), Neal Dunn of Florida (72), Dan Newhouse of Washington (70), Ralph Norman of South Carolina (72), and Burgess Owens of Utah (74). Meanwhile, eleven Democrats over 70 are leaving - Julia Brownley of California (73), Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey (80), Danny Davis of Illinois (84), Lloyd Doggett of Texas (79), Dwight Evans of Pennsylvania (71), Steny Hoyer of Maryland (86), Jerry Nadler of New York (78), Eleanor Holmes Norton of Washington, D.C. (88), Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi of California (85), Jan Schakowsky of Illinois (81), and Nydia Velázquez of New York (72).
Four members of California’s 52-person delegation to the U.S. House are retiring this cycle. Brownley, Issa and Pelosi are joined by Eric Swalwell of the 14th District who is running for Governor. More incumbents are at risk of losing as a result of the new district lines though. Republicans Kevin Kiley and David Valadao are battling to remain in districts that now include more Democratic territory. Meanwhile, Republicans Ken Calvert and Young Kim are competing against each other to serve a GOP vote-sink in Orange County.
Issa was an active member of the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1972. After his discharge, he served in the Army Reserve from 1976 to 1980 - leaving with the rank of captain. In 1982, he co-founded Directed Electronics. He served as CEO until 1999. In 1998, he sought the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in California. He ultimately finished second in the primary 45.3-40.0 against State Treasurer Matt Fong. Democratic incumbent Senator Barbara Boxer went on to secure her second term by a 53.1-43.0 margin against Fong.
In 2000, Issa ran for the 48th District after nine-term Republican incumbent Ron Packard retired. He won the Republican primary with 35.0%. That was followed by a 61.4-28.3 victory against Democrat Peter Kouvelis in the general election. In 2016, Issa prevailed narrowly 50.3-49.7 against Democrat Doug Applegate. As a result, he chose to retire during the 2018 cycle. Levin went on to flip the district with a 56.4-43.6 victory against Republican Diane Harkey.
In 2020, Issa decided to return to the U.S. House - running for the 50th District. Republican incumbent Duncan Hunter was under federal indictment for campaign finance violations. He pled guilty and left office in January 2020. Issa kept the seat for his party with a 54.0-46.0 victory against Campa-Najjar. Across his two stints, he has served for 12 terms in office.
During the 119th Congress, Issa serves on the House Committees on Foreign Affairs; Science, Space, and Technology; and the Judiciary. Furthermore, he chairs the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet. From January 2011 to January 2015, he was Chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Issa becomes the fourth member departing the Foreign Affairs panel - following Republicans Andy Barr of Kentucky, Michael McCaul of Texas, and Zinke. Furthermore, he becomes the second member leaving the Science committee - joining Democrat Haley Stevens of Michigan. And finally, he becomes the 12th exit from the Judiciary panel - after Republicans Andy Biggs of Arizona, Harriet Hageman of Wyoming, Wesley Hunt of Texas, Barry Moore of Alabama, Troy Nehls of Texas, Chip Roy of Texas, and Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin as well as Democrats Jasmine Crockett of Texas, Chuy García of Illinois, Nadler, and Swalwell.
Under the current lines, Republican Donald Trump won California’s 48th Congressional District with a 56.4-41.1 finish against Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. That came as Harris was carrying her home state 58.5-38.3 in her ultimately unsuccessful national campaign. On the same ballot, Issa over-performed with a 59.3-40.7 victory against Democrat Stephen Houlahan for his final term in office.
With the new lines, Harris would have carried the 48th District by a 50.4-47.0 margin against Trump.