In his post, Issa expressed confidence in his ability to win in the newly drawn district but stated that he had chosen to focus on “new challenges.”
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.
Republicans currently hold a narrow 218-214 majority in the House of Representatives and face a difficult road to retaining their majority in the body. President Trump has floated the idea of a GOP convention, similiar to those held during presidential election years, ahead of the midterms, which the Republican National Committee has approved.
Issa, a businessman who holds 37 patents according to his official biography, was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2000, serving nine terms before he initially retired from Congress. He returned to Congress after challenging Republican Rep. Duncan D. Hunter of California in 2020 after Hunter was indicted on charges related to the misuse of campaign funds, ultimately serving three more terms.
Issa chaired the House Oversight Committee from 2011-2015, investigating Operation Fast and Furious, an operation by the Obama administration that ultimately allowed hundreds of modern semi-automatic rifles to fall into the hands of Mexican drug cartels. After then-Attorney General Eric Holder refused to produce subpoenaed documents pertaining to Operation Fast and Furious in 2012, the House of Representatives voted to put Holder in contempt of Congress.
Issa was also involved in investigating the deaths of 13 United States military personnel who were killed in an Aug. 26, 2021 bombing as American forces were evacuating from Kabul. He hosted an August 2023 forum where families of the fallen servicemen ripped the Biden administration over the attack.
