GOP Rep. Darrell Issa won’t seek re-election, giving Democrats an opening

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista (San Diego County), said Wednesday he would not seek re-election this year. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista (San Diego County), said Wednesday he would not seek re-election this year. Photo: Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images Photo: Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close GOP Rep. Darrell Issa won’t seek re-election, giving Democrats an opening 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

Democrats hoping to recapture the House by flipping 24 GOP-held seats caught their second huge break in California this week when Republican Rep. Darrell Issa unexpectedly announced Wednesday that he would not seek re-election.

“Two decades ago, when I stepped away from the business I’d built to enter public service, I never could have imagined that a long-shot bid for U.S. Senate would lead to 18 years in the House of Representatives and endless opportunities to make a meaningful impact,” Issa, R-Vista (San Diego County), said in a statement.

“While my service to California’s 49th District will be coming to an end, I will continue advocating on behalf of the causes that are most important to me, advancing public policy where I believe I can make a true and lasting difference, and continuing the fight to make our incredible nation an even better place to call home,” Issa said.

Issa is the second California Republican this week to announce that he would not seek re-election. Rep. Ed Royce of Fullerton (Orange County) also said he would not run again.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton won both Issa’s and Royce’s districts in 2016, even as the Republican congressmen were re-elected.

Like Royce, Issa was facing several well-funded Democratic challengers in his re-election bid. But unlike Royce, who was seen as one of the strongest incumbents of the 10 Republicans being targeted by Democrats in California, Issa was regarded as vulnerable. He barely won re-election in 2016.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicle’s senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli