Republican Ken Calvert was elected to the United States House of Representatives from California's 40th Congressional District on Monday, defeating Republican incumbent Young Kim. The race included an unusual general election struggle between two incumbents from the same party. The Associated Press called the race for Calvert at 9:31 pm EST on Monday.
When California voters adopted new congressional boundaries that favored Democrats last year, Kim and Calvert were assigned to the same district. Both candidates were in a district that includes parts of Orange County and the Inland Empire.
They argued over their MAGA credentials and commitment to the Trump. Calvert has served in Congress for more than three decades.
Kim Young concedes
Kim conceded the race Monday and congratulated Calvert. “I want to congratulate Congressman Ken Calvert on his victory. I wish him the very best as he continues representing our communities.”
In an X post, Young thanked her supporters and highlighted her record during her time in Congress.
{{/usCountry}}In an X post, Young thanked her supporters and highlighted her record during her time in Congress.
{{/usCountry}}She wrote, “As an immigrant who came to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream, serving this nation in Congress has been one of the greatest honors of my life.”
She added that she was grateful to her family, volunteers, supporters and voters who backed her campaign.
Kim said she remained proud of the work her office completed in terms of national security, the economy and affordability. “But I am proud of the record we built delivering results for our communities, working to secure our country at home and abroad, strengthen our economy, and make life safer and more affordable for California families.”
She also criticized the redistricting process that created the contest.
“It is unfortunate that Gavin Newsom’s political redistricting scheme forced two Republican members of Congress into this race,” Kim said in her statement.
Redistricting created rare GOP-versus-GOP contest
The California race was unusual because voters saw two sitting Republican members competing against each other instead of a traditional Democrat-Republican matchup.
The contest followed California’s approval of a new congressional map that combined areas represented by Calvert and Kim. The new boundaries changed the political landscape and created a direct competition between two established Republican lawmakers.
Calvert entered the race as the longest-serving Republican in California’s House delegation. He first joined Congress in 1993 and built a reputation as a senior Republican voice in the state.
Young was first elected to Congress in 2020 and became one of the prominent Korean American Republicans in the House. In her concession message, Kim thanked residents who supported her campaign and said serving Southern California had been a privilege.
“I will always be grateful for the opportunity to serve, and I thank the people of Southern California for allowing me that privilege,” she wrote.
Before election officials completed the vote count, Calvert declared victory and said the result reflected strong support from voters.
Calvert said in a statement last week, “Election officials are still counting ballots, but the outcome of this race is clear. We won, and I could not be more grateful.”