Calvert Wins GOP Primary

Ken Calvert is set to represent California’s 40th Congressional District after defeating Young Kim on Monday night. The result confirms the outcome of a unique primary where two sitting Republican House members competed for a single seat. This contest arose from a redistricting map signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, which merged parts of their previous districts.

Calvert, the longest-serving Republican in the state’s House delegation, declared victory days before the final count. The win consolidates Republican power in a district that remains a GOP stronghold. However, the new map has drastically reduced the Republican presence in California’s congressional delegation, dropping it from nine seats to between three and four.

The 40th District includes suburban areas in eastern Orange County and extends into the Inland Empire in western Riverside County. Kim represented this area since 2018, while Calvert’s former district, which covered much of Riverside County and Palm Springs, was redefined under the new boundaries.

The campaign featured sharp exchanges between the two candidates. Both initially supported President Donald Trump’s agenda before pivoting to pragmatic conservative positions. Kim cited ethics complaints and an FBI investigation into Calvert’s real estate dealings. Calvert denied the allegations, noting he was never charged, and countered by highlighting a campaign donation Kim received from a Chinese American businessman under scrutiny for alleged foreign influence.

Kim acknowledged her defeat in a statement on X, calling the redistricting process unfortunate. She stated that serving in Congress has been one of the greatest honors of her life. Calvert had previously criticized Proposition 50, arguing it gave the governor and allies excessive power to redraw the congressional map.

Three other Republicans currently hold seats in California’s House delegation. Rep. Tom McClintock won re-election in the 5th District, and Rep. Vince Fong won in the 20th. Rep. Jay Obernolte maintains a narrow 3,384-vote lead in the 23rd District against Democrat Tessa Lynn Hodge. Obernolte leads by 1.6 percentage points, or 50.8% to 49.2%, after winning the race by more than 20 points in 2024.

Four other Republicans will leave Congress in January 2027. James Gallagher lost to Mike McGuire by nearly 13 points, and David Valadao lost to Randy Villegas by nearly 37 points. Darrell Issa did not seek re-election, and his seat flipped to Democrat Marni von Wilpert. Independent Kevin Kiley, who left the Republican Party, lost to Democrat Richard Pan by more than 17 points.