Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., was projected to defeat fellow Republican Rep. Young Kim on Monday night in the 40th Congressional District. The contest resulted from a redistricting map signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, which merged portions of the two lawmakers' previous districts into a single seat. This maneuver effectively forced two sitting members of Congress to battle for one position in a gerrymandered district that remains a Republican stronghold.
The victory marks a significant consolidation for House Republicans, though the broader impact of the redistricting and the so-called blue wave has more than halved the Republican delegation in California. The number of GOP seats has dropped from nine to just three or four, with one remaining race too close to call a week after the election. Calvert, the longest-serving Republican in the state's House delegation, had declared victory days earlier while ballots were still being counted.
The 40th District covers suburban communities in eastern Orange County and extends into the Inland Empire in western Riverside County, located southeast of Los Angeles. California voters previously approved the Democratic-backed plan that created this rare intraparty contest. Kim had represented the area since 2018, while Calvert's prior district, which included much of Riverside County and Palm Springs, was carved up and redistributed under the new map.
Kim acknowledged the loss in a statement posted to X, congratulating Calvert while criticizing the redistricting process. She described it as unfortunate that the governor's political scheme forced two Republican members into a direct race. As an immigrant who came to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream, Kim said serving in Congress has been one of the greatest honors of her life. She expressed gratitude to her family, volunteers, and supporters who placed their trust in her throughout the campaign.
The campaign turned negative, with both candidates initially supporting President Donald Trump's agenda before seeking to present themselves as pragmatic conservatives. Kim cited ethics complaints and an FBI investigation into some of Calvert's real estate dealings. Calvert denied the allegations and was never charged. In response, he highlighted a campaign donation Kim received from a Chinese American businessman who faced scrutiny over alleged foreign influence. Kim returned the contribution and stated she was unaware of the claims at the time.
Calvert is one of only three House Republicans in the state to survive thus far. Rep. Tom McClintock and Rep. Vince Fong won re-election in the 5th and 20th Congressional Districts, respectively. These seats cover heavily Republican stretches of the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada foothills, located well inland between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The other surviving Republican, Rep. Jay Obernolte, is clinging to a narrow lead in California's 23rd Congressional District.
Obernolte holds a lead of just 3,384 votes over Democratic challenger Tessa Lynn Hodge in the High Desert seat of San Bernardino County. The district was rated Solid R by the Fox News Power Rankings before the midterms. With ballots still being counted, Obernolte maintains a 1.6-point edge, or about 50.8% to 49.2%, after winning the district by more than 20 points in 2024.
Four other Republicans from California are leaving Congress in January 2027. Rep. James Gallagher lost to Democrat Mike McGuire by nearly 13 points, while Rep. David Valadao lost to Democrat Randy Villegas by nearly 37 points. Rep. Darrell Issa did not seek re-election, and his former seat flipped to blue under the new map, with Democrat Marni von Wilpert defeating Republican Jim Desmond by nearly 20 points. Rep. Kevin Kiley, an independent who left the Republican Party, lost by more than 17 points to Democrat Richard Pan.
Calvert's victory positions him as the senior Republican voice in California heading into 2027. The race was the lone GOP versus GOP battle left by the new map. Calvert had previously criticized the passage of Prop 50, arguing it allowed the governor and his allies an unprecedented power grab to redraw the Congressional map. He stated that despite the gerrymandering, he remains determined to fight for the families he represents in Congress.
