Rocklin congressman commits to redrawn seat as Prop. 50 reshapes Northern California political map
U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley has officially announced he will seek reelection in California’s newly redrawn 6th Congressional District, confirming that Folsom will no longer be part of his political future as the 2026 midterm election cycle takes shape.
Kiley, a Rocklin Republican first elected to Congress in 2022 after serving in the State Assembly, said he will run in District 6, which now includes Roseville, Rocklin and Orangevale following the passage of Proposition 50. The voter-approved measure significantly reshaped California’s congressional boundaries and split his current 3rd Congressional District into multiple pieces.
Kiley currently represents District 3, which spans portions of 10 counties and is geographically the largest congressional district in Northern California. Under Proposition 50, those boundaries were dramatically reduced and reshaped, making the district significantly smaller and more centered in Sacramento County, while separating communities he has represented for nearly a decade.
“I was born, raised, and went to local public schools in Placer and Sacramento Counties, which I’ve always called home,” Kiley said in a statement. “They’ve been the core of my district during my time in elected office. That’s as it should be. It’s what representation is about.”
The announcement brings clarity to weeks of speculation after Kiley previously narrowed his options to either the new District 5 or District 6. In early February, he confirmed he would not seek reelection in the newly drawn 3rd Congressional District, which now includes Folsom along with portions of Placer, Sacramento, Nevada and El Dorado counties and the Lake Tahoe Basin.
“My decision not to run in the new District 3 was an especially difficult one,” he said at the time. “This new district includes many communities in Placer and Sacramento counties that I have represented for nine years during my time in the Legislature and the House, some of the very best places in California.”
For Folsom, the move marks a significant political transition. After nearly a decade of representation by Kiley at both the state and federal levels, voters in the city will now enter a competitive race for new representation under boundaries drawn less than a year before the election cycle. The shift places Folsom in the middle of one of California’s most closely watched congressional reshuffles as candidates reposition themselves under the new map.
Proposition 50, approved by voters in 2025, redrew five Republican-held congressional districts in California. The effort was backed by top Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, as a response to similar mid-cycle redistricting moves in Texas aimed at strengthening Republican control of Congress. Both states faced legal challenges, but the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block the new maps, clearing the way for them to take effect in the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections.
Kiley has been outspoken in his criticism of mid-census redistricting, arguing that it fractures communities for political gain.
“The evil of gerrymandering is that it slices up and tears apart communities in a way that erodes the fabric of representative government,” Kiley said. “That’s why I’ve opposed it everywhere – whether Texas or California, Indiana or Virginia. While we can’t now reverse the gerrymandering epidemic that has afflicted our country and scrambled our state’s map, I want to do what I can to make things better and not worse.”
California traditionally relies on a citizens-led independent redistricting commission following each decennial census. Proposition 50’s mid-cycle changes marked a departure from that norm, reshaping multiple districts represented by Republicans and forcing incumbents to reassess their political futures.
Earlier this year, Kiley described the process as one that “chops up all existing House districts represented by Republicans,” adding that it forced many members “to make difficult decisions about whether to run for reelection, and if so, where.”
The newly configured District 6 is considered Democratic-leaning and is expected to be one of the more competitive congressional races in Northern California. Kiley acknowledged the challenge but said he believes voters in the district are “open-minded.”
“While this will be a more challenging race, I believe we can build a winning coalition for common sense,” he said.
The political ripple effects extend beyond Kiley’s decision. Democratic U.S. Rep. Ami Bera, who currently represents the 6th District, has announced plans to run in the redrawn 3rd District. Other candidates who have announced campaigns for District 6 include former State Sen. Dr. Richard Pan, Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero and Republican Christine Bish.
California currently has 52 congressional districts, with Democrats holding 43 seats and Republicans nine. Analysts have noted that the new maps could help Democrats secure up to five additional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives as both parties battle for control of Congress in what is expected to be a high-stakes midterm election.
For residents of Folsom, the 2026 ballot will reflect the new political reality created by Proposition 50. After nearly a decade of representation by Kiley, the city will look ahead to new candidates and new leadership under California’s reshaped congressional landscape.
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