Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) is expected to drop his bid for reelection just ahead of California's congressional filing deadline on Friday, two sources familiar with the matter told Axios.
Why it matters: The development shakes up the race for his seat significantly, with another Republican ally of Issa's reportedly filing to run instead.
- Issa's website was recently changed to display his PAC's logo rather than that of his campaign, Punchbowl News reported.
- Issa has maintained publicly that he is running for reelection. A campaign spokesperson declined to comment on whether Issa is retiring.
State of play: Issa's reelection prospects were thrown into doubt last year after California voters approved redrawing the state's congressional maps.
- Democrats in the California state legislature redrew Issa's safely Republican district to lean slightly Democratic as part of an effort to offset mid-decade redistricting in Texas.
- Several Democrats have been running to unseat Issa, including Ammar Campa-Najjar — Issa's opponent in 2020 — and San Diego City Council member Marni von Wilpert.
The intrigue: Campa-Najjar told Axios that he personally witnessed Jim Desmond, a Republican ally of Issa who had been running to unseat Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.), re-register to run for Issa's seat instead.
- He said in a video posted to X that another Republican, State Assemblyman Carl DeMaio, is also expected to file for the seat.
- Desmond and DeMaio did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Zoom out: Issa's move comes after the 119th House already broke the record for the most retirements of any Congress in the 21st century, as Axios' Kate Santaliz and Hans Nichols reported earlier this week.
- 55 House members — 34 Republicans and 21 Democrats — are leaving the House either to run for another office or retire from political life altogether.
- The high figure reflects a perfect storm of factors pushing lawmakers to leave, including Republican anxiety about losing the House in November, a generational war among Democrats and general dissatisfaction with congressional productivity and quality of life.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
