Faced With the Possibility Prop. 50 Passes, Conservative Congressman Kevin Kiley Appears on Liberal MSNBC
These CNN and MSNBC interviews with Congressman Kiley will surface in a political TV commercial to portray him as a moderate and not a MAGA Republican.
If recent polling data on California's Proposition 50 is accurate, the statewide ballot measure to redraw the state's Congressional districts to favor the Democratic Party will be approved by voters. Perhaps sensing the shift in the now-conservative 3rd Congressional District he represents, which was one of five Districts targeted explicitly for change, Republican Congressman Kevin Kiley has begun moving towards the center of the political spectrum.
Proof of this move to the center - possibly in an effort to save his political career - was evident in his recent appearance on the liberal cable news channel MSNBC. For a rib-rock conservative Republican to appear on an MSNBC program, and not Fox News, in an interview that is itself quite a testament to his metamorphosis.
During the interview on the network's "The Weekend Primetime" program, the current Federal government shutdown and the U.S. Congress being out of session were the topics of conversation (see video below). The host, Catherine Rampell, started the segment by saying, "Thirty-two days into the government shutdown, and two congressional Republicans have emerged as the biggest critics of their own party's handling of it." (The other Republican is Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who did not appear in the program.)
During his comments, Kiley took a decidedly moderate stance, expressing concern about the discontinuation of SNAP benefits and their potential effect on air travel. Kiley hedged on questions about President Trump's widely criticized Gatsby-themed Halloween party and the President's overriding of Congress's constitutional appropriations authority.
Yesterday's appearance on MSNBC is not the first time Kiley has moved towards the center. Aside from the reference that he appeared on a network recently. Kiley also appeared on CNN's Inside Politics, expressing middle-of-the-road views - antithetical to the current Republican Party's leadership.
A question worth considering about Mr. Kiley is this: if Gov. Gavin Newsom's gerrymandering proposition were not on the ballot, or if it appeared headed toward voter rejection, would the Congressman have taken these moderate positions and appeared on the liberal news network?
In the newly drawn 3rd Congressional District, there is one high-profile Democratic candidate: Dr. Richard Pan, a former California Assemblymember and State Senator. Dr. Pan, a political moderate, and Kiley could advance out of the June primary and face off during the November general election.
If Proposition 50 is approved as expected, the 3rd Congressional District will have a slight Democratic registration advantage, which puts Kiley in a weakened position compared to the District's current Republican registration advantage. If this happens, you can confidently bet a princely sum of money that these CNN and MSNBC interviews with Kiley will surface in a political TV commercial to make him appear as a moderate and not a MAGA Republican.
No one knows what lies in the heart of individuals. Nonetheless, given the grip President Donald Trump has on the Republican Party, if Kiley did not face possible political extinction at the hands of Gov. Newsom's Proposition 50, he would not buck his party and Trump.
Kiley was invited back to the show following this week's Proposition 50 vote. If Kiley accepts the invitation and the Proposition is approved, it will be an interesting interview.
