Issa’s retirement hints at GOP’s woes in California
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — Rep. Darrell Issa of California announced Wednesday that he will not seek re-election, the latest sign that Republicans could face another grim year at the ballot box in the nation’s most populous state.
With his decision to step aside after nine terms, Issa joins a string of GOP lawmakers who are retiring rather than take on what would be difficult re-election battles.
The risks for Republicans are especially acute in California, where the party has been fading away for years. Democrats hold every statewide office and control both chambers of the Legislature by hefty margins. In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton crushed Republican Donald Trump in the state by more than 4 million votes.
Democrats with plans to retake control of the House hope to oust a handful of California Republicans whose districts Clinton carried. Issa’s seat, the coastal 49th District north of San Diego, is among them.