Rep. Kevin Kiley faces attacks from opponents in California 6th District debate
U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley faced a barrage of attacks from his Democratic opponents Thursday night during a candidate forum for California’s 6th Congressional District.
The event was the second forum in the two days. It underscored the difficulty Kiley faces while running in a left-leaning district and against a crowded field of well-known Democrats. His opponents include former California state Sen. Richard Pan, Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, Planned Parenthood Mar Monte leader Lauren Babb Tomlinson and West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero. Ho did not attend the forum on Thursday, though he participated in one the previous day.
Kiley, who recently announced he would run as an Independent candidate rather than a Republican, has a sizable fundraising advantage compared to the others. Even so, Proposition 50 — a voter-approved initiative to shift California’s congressional boundaries to favor Democrats — has significantly decreased his chances of remaining in Congress.
Thursday’s event at the Conzelmann Center in Arden Arcade marked a contrast from Wednesday’s more amicable forum, which Kiley did not attend. His presence drew pointed criticism, particularly from younger and more progressive candidates, who targeted his voting record and sought to tie him to former President Donald Trump amid declining public approval.
“I watched Trump and my opponent cut health care for my patients,” said Babb Tomlinson in her opening statements — a reference to Kiley’s support of the One Big Beautiful Bill and its associated Medicaid cuts.
Guerrero later launched a similar critique of Kiley when responding to a question about reduced federal funding assistance for public safety.
“Somebody here in this room voted for H.R. 1,” she said, using the bill number to mention the sweeping federal policy bill passed last summer.
Such criticism continued throughout the forum. The majority came from Marine Corps veteran Tyler Vandenberg, who is the youngest candidate running. He and Republican Michael Stansfield are significantly behind the other candidates in fundraising.
He repeatedly targeted Kiley’s positions on environmental protections, his opposition to a proposed wealth tax on billionaires and his reluctance to characterize the conflict in Gaza as a genocide.
“I’m surprised to hear that people who have education in the law can’t read the law as it was written and see what’s in front of their eyes,” said Vandenberg in reference to Kiley’s degree from the Yale Law School.
Kiley, who participated remotely due to the current House session, could not directly address his opponents. The forum’s format emphasized brief and timed answers rather than candidate exchanges. In his responses, Kiley highlighted his experience in Congress, recent legislative proposals, local roots and emphasized his independence from party politics.
In March, Kiley announced he would become an Independent for the remainder of his House term and register as a “No Party Preference” to run in California’s newly drawn 6th Congressional District. He attributed the changes to his frustration with “partisanship” and the ways it is “weakening the country.”
“I am not for party leaders in Washington D.C., not for party leaders in Sacramento, I am for my constituents,” Kiley said.
Thursday’s forum followed a 6th District debate one day earlier at Natomas Charter School. That event featured all the candidates except for Kiley. He was unable to participate as the venue could not accommodate a video stream, said Paula Lee, president of the Sacramento League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan nonprofit all-volunteer political organization that moderated both forums.
In responding to questions on Wednesday, many of the candidates emphasized their experience in elected office and leadership roles. They also offered largely similar positions on issues like the war on Iran, immigration and affordable health care.
The 6th District spans from Roseville and Rocklin in the north to West Sacramento in the south. Roseville, Citrus Heights, North Highlands, Natomas, North Sacramento and parts of East Sacramento are also within the boundaries. Under Prop 50, the new district leaves out downtown and midtown Sacramento.
The primary election is June 2. The top two candidates from the primary will move on to a runoff in the November general election.
