The redistricting dominoes are already falling — setting up a Republican-on-Republican fight for California’s 40th Congressional District in 2026.
Rep. Ken Calvert didn’t waste any time after California voters approved a redistricting measure to make his intentions known: He is running in the new district.
And Rep. Young Kim, who represents California’s current 40th Congressional District, followed soon thereafter with her own announcement. She, too, is running.
That pits at least two Republican incumbents in an intraparty battle for the district in at least next year’s primary elections, if not also the general, given that in California, the top two vote getters, regardless of party, advance past the primary.
Speculation about whether Calvert, R-Corona, would make a bid for the 40th Congressional District had mounted in recent weeks. The new district, after all, includes more than 50% of the area he represents now.
“Californians in the newly drawn 40th District deserve a proven conservative they can trust and a fighter who has delivered results for Riverside and Orange County for decades,” Calvert said in his announcement.
“No one else comes close to my record of service to the new 40th,” he added. “I’ve lived here my entire life and already represent the majority of this district in Congress. I look forward to helping President Trump to deliver lower taxes, to bring down housing costs, secure our borders, make our streets safe and bring real results for the families of this district for years to come.”
Kim’s campaign, meanwhile, said she is “one of the most prominent fundraisers in Congress and has a proven record of winning tough primary and general election races, most notably winning a seat Joe Biden won by 10.6% in 2020.”
Kim’s campaign boasts more than $4.7 million in cash in the bank. Calvert’s, meanwhile, has nearly $3 million.
Redistricting shifts California’s 40th Congressional District more eastward, losing Orange County’s Aliso Viejo and Lake Forest and picking up Menifee, Wildomar and parts of Corona — areas represented by Calvert.
Early returns in Orange and Riverside counties — which all have communities in the new 40th Congressional District — showed voters strongly supporting Proposition 50.
The election was a resounding win for California Democrats, who promoted the redistricting ballot measure as an effort to shore up five of the state’s House districts for the party as well as a counter to similar gerrymandering elsewhere in the country meant to benefit Republicans.
The 40th Congressional District, however, is expected to be easier for Republicans. The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election analysis site, moved the rating to a “solid” Republican seat from one that “leaned” Republican shortly Tuesday evening shortly after polls had closed.
Establish home base
Calvert and Kim are quickly establishing their bona fides with the district. Both of their homes — Anaheim Hills for Kim and Corona for Calvert — are in the new 40th District.
Kim’s campaign noted that she represents almost 175,000 registered voters already who will be in the new 40th Congressional District. She’s also the only member of Congress who represents a district that includes both Orange and Riverside counties, her team said, “giving her strong, broad-based support heading into the election.”
And while Calvert’s current district is just in Riverside County, he is honing in on his ties, too: “The newly drawn 40th District is where I was born and raised. I’ve had the honor of serving the overwhelming majority of these communities and delivering results for both Riverside and Orange counties.”
Calvert, 72, is one of the Inland Empire’s longest-serving members of Congress and has consistently won re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives despite Democrats’ best efforts — and millions of dollars spent — to unseat him.
Kim, 63, first won election to the House in 2020, becoming one of the first Korean American women ever to serve in Congress. In her re-election bids since, Kim has faced less competitive challengers, winning fairly solidly in 2022 and 2024.
And for 30 years, Calvert has consistently won re-election despite Democrats’ best efforts — and millions of dollars spent — to unseat him in what have been more competitive races. In 2024, for example, Calvert only narrowly defeated Democrat Will Rollins in a bitter race.
That extra campaigning might bode well for Calvert, said Jon Fleischman, a political consultant and former executive director of the California Republican Party.
“(Calvert) represented the lion’s share of the new district and fought two back-to-back barn burner elections,” Fleischman said. “Come over the hill, and you’ve got Young Kim, who has represented about a third of that district and hasn’t had very many competitive general elections. I’m not sure the Republicans know her as well as they know Ken Calvert.”
It should also be noted: It’s still incredibly early in the newly revamped 2026 midterm elections. Other Republicans impacted by redistricting could also jump into the race.
The new 40th Congressional District does include some 15% of the old 48th District, represented now by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Bonsall. Issa has not confirmed in what district he might run, should he make a re-election bid. The new 48th District is drawn to have more registered Democratic voters than Republicans.
But Issa struck a defiant tone Tuesday night, saying, “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll continue to represent the people of California — regardless of their party or where they live.”
“I’m not quitting on California,” Issa said, “and neither should anyone else.”
Issa would be wise to run for the 48th District again, suggested Marcia Godwin, an expert in Southern California politics who teaches at the University of La Verne. Yes, the district has a Democratic lean, said Godwin, but there are models that show how independents may keep that district in Republican hands. And he could avoid a race already brimming with Republican incumbents.
Meanwhile, California Republicans quickly sued on Wednesday morning in an effort to block Proposition 50’s implementation. Their attorneys alleged the ballot measure violates the 14th and 15th amendments by unconstitutionally gerrymandering congressional districts to favor one race.
As for other candidates who had already declared for the original 40th Congressional District, Democrat and attorney Lisa Ramirez said she is remaining in the race. So did Esther Kim Varet, another Democrat who said she was ready to take on Kim or Calvert in the race for California’s new 40th Congressional District.
Staff writers Jeff Horseman and Linh Tat contributed to this report.
