PLACER COUNTY, Calif. — Jessica Morse is challenging Kevin Kiley for his seat in California's 3rd Congressional District. The term is two years long and begins Jan. 3, 2025.
Where is District 3?
District 3 spans the California-Nevada border from near Lassen Volcanic National Park to Tecopa. It includes Plumas, Sierra, Nevada, Placer, Alpine, Mono, and Inyo counties, and parts of Yuba, El Dorado, and Sacramento counties.
The district includes Lake Tahoe, Death Valley National Park and five national forests.
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Kevin Kiley
Kevin Kiley (R) is the incumbent for District 3. The 39-year-old was elected to Congress in 2022. Kiley grew up in District 3, according to his website. He graduated from Granite Bay High School and went on to get a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, a law degree from Yale University, and a master’s in secondary education from Loyola Marymount University. After law school, he became a prosecutor and Deputy Attorney General.
According to his website, Kiley was elected to the State Assembly in 2016. Find out more about Kiley HERE.
Candidate Statement
"Two years ago, I ran for Congress pledging to work in a bipartisan fashion to reduce the national debt and out-of-control spending that harms our economy, makes inflation worse, and jeopardizes our future. As your Representative, I worked to enact the Bi-Partisan Fiscal Responsibility Act, limiting spending and saving taxpayers $2.1 trillion by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse while fully protecting Social Security, Medicare, and support for our veterans. We have all witnessed the devastating consequences of this Administration’s failure to secure the border: deadly fentanyl, dangerous criminals, and human trafficking. I helped pass the Secure the Border Act and have urged the President to sign this legislation for common-sense border security. As your Representative, I work to make sure your tax dollars come back to our district for critical projects. As a member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, I secured $22 million in federal assistance for critical local projects and $176 Million for water infrastructure and wildfire protection to protect homes and help bring down fire insurance rates. As a former high school teacher, I’m working on the Education Committee to defend parental rights and increase excellence in education. As a former Deputy Attorney General, I’m working on the Judiciary Committee to support law enforcement and stop rising crime. Our district is where I was born, raised, and attended public schools. It is an honor to be your Representative, and I humbly ask for your vote. Visit ElectKevinKiley.com to learn more. Thank you," Kiley wrote in his candidate statement.
Jessica Morse
Jessica Morse (D) is challenging for Kiley's District 3 seat. The 42-year-old is a fifth-generation Northern Californian, according to her website. In 2019, Morse was appointed Deputy Secretary for Forest and Wildland Resilience at the California Natural Resources Agency. In 2022, she was appointed to the U.S. Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission.
According to her website, Morse spent a decade working in national security for the US Defense Department, the US State Department, and USAID, a humanitarian branch of the State Department. Find out more about Morse HERE.
Candidate Statement
"My family has been in the Sierra Foothills for five generations. I grew up fishing, hunting, and backpacking, including hiking 500 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail. My parents were teachers and didn’t make much money, but they worked hard and taught us to give back to our church and community. So, when I graduated college in the wake of 9/11, I raised my hand to help. As a civilian, I deployed to Iraq alongside our troops. I spent the next decade serving in national security roles around the world, working to stop corruption, human trafficking and terrorism. In 2018, when the Camp Fire broke out in Paradise, I dropped everything to serve again and help find solutions to prevent such devastating fires. I joined the California Natural Resources Agency as Deputy Secretary leading wildfire prevention efforts. I worked hand in glove with CAL FIRE, loggers, and environmental leaders, to design and implement a nation-leading wildfire prevention program to protect our families, homes, communities, and public lands, showing real results in reducing megafires. A wildfire doesn’t ask if you’re a Republican or a Democrat and neither do I. It’s time to solve our common challenges: skyrocketing costs of insurance, housing, and gas; turning the tide on homelessness; providing quality affordable healthcare; and protecting women’s reproductive rights. We all want our children safe in schools and our seniors to retire with dignity. Our community deserves a fierce advocate and problem solver. Together we can vanquish partisan politics through true public service. www.morseforcongress.com," Morse wrote in her candidate statement.
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