Despite the approaching cold and the upcoming holiday season, next year’s primary race between two sitting Republican members of Congress for a redistricted seat is already heating up.
Congresswoman Young Kim – who up until last month with the passage of Prop. 50 was gearing up to defend herself from national Democratic Party efforts to unseat her – now finds herself up against a Republican colleague, Congressman Ken Calvert vying for the 40th Congressional District seat.
In recent weeks, several high-ranking OC Republicans and influential political groups have thrown their weight behind Calvert, a key congressional leader currently representing District 41 and holding sway over appropriations, who has reportedly been calling leaders across OC himself asking for endorsements.
“I’m not taking a single vote for granted,” Calvert said in a statement forwarded to Voice of OC in response to questions about his current outreach efforts in OC.
“The support we’re seeing from Orange County and beyond is coming in fast because they know I’m the strongest conservative in this race, the only one who has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with President Trump since 2016, and the only one they can trust to put America First,” Calvert said in his statement to Voice of OC.
“I’m going to keep working hard every day because that’s exactly the kind of fighter that Orange County needs in Congress.”
Meanwhile, Kim isn’t backing down or listening to soft whispers in some GOP circles that she might want to look at running in a different congressional seat because of Calvert’s seniority and ability to influence local funding asks from the powerful Appropriations Committee.
Her campaign team points to her own local endorsements – elected officials like State Sen. Steven Choi, the OC Board of Education and a host of city council members throughout OC – along with a strong cash position, not to mention experience with hard fought races.
“Representative Young Kim has a proven record of winning tough campaigns and fighting for key issues that are part of the America First Agenda,” said Sam Oh, Kim’s campaign consultant, adding, “She’s in it to win it.”
Kim, who was elected in 2020 when Republicans retook some lost ground, is well known across Orange County and in Republican circles, having served as a chief of staff to longtime member of Congress Ed Royce, who retired in 2018 after decades in Congress.
In recent years, Kim, who is described by colleagues as “hard working,” has won several close races against Democrats in both the State Assembly and Congress and is seen as a strong campaigner with deep roots in the district and as an official who delivers for her cities and constituents.
She recently delivered for local veterans – touting her efforts to secure a federal grant for a local veterans cemetery.
Her campaign website seems a bit stale from looking at the news section, possibly because of the recent change in nature of the race along with the upcoming holiday season.
Yet I’ve noticed that Congressman Calvert – a member of Congress since 1993 and currently representing a district that’s largely in Riverside – is quickly reintroducing himself and his accomplishments across Orange County, an area he’s represented in the past.
Just in the last few weeks, current high ranking Republican electeds like State Senator Tony Strickland, State Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez and Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner announced endorsements for Calvert.
There’s nearly a dozen Lincoln Club board members – known as influential fundraisers – that also have endorsed along with leaders of the New Majority, another GOP campaign fundraising group.
“They reached out to me,” Wagner said in response to questions about Calvert calls across OC, “and asked for endorsement.”
“They’re quite good.,” Wagner said, describing the campaign effort as “very professional, very organized and experienced.”
“It gives me some comfort for the type of campaign they’ll run,” Wagner said.
“I spent some time thinking about it,’ Wagner added, acknowledging he had a hard time balancing Kim’s work on behalf of Orange County with Calvert’s seniority in Congress.
Sources tell me that Calvert – who seems in line to take over as the ranking member or chairman of the House Appropriations Committee – is referred to as a “Cardinal” as a current Appropriations subcommittee chair, meaning he’s one of a few members that can influence money for local projects.
While there’s open questions about how that kind of influence may work with Republican voters – who have in recent years decried earmarks as part of the D.C. swamp – that kind of power in Congress is certainly a big factor that could be swaying local politicians.
“I believe it is Ken’s to lose and we will be well served with him in that district,” Wagner said, adding that he had spoken to Kim, who he described as “gracious” in accepting Wagner’s endorsement of Calvert.
OC GOP Chairman Will O’Neill told me that the passage of Prop. 50 has put Republicans in a hard place, in terms of choosing.
“Both are highly capable and longtime serving members of congress,” O’Neill said, noting he doesn’t think the OC GOP will endorse anyone in that race, at least through the primary.
“That’s going to be a Republican seat, no matter how it plays out,” O’Neill said, adding, “they’re both great candidates. I’m sad we have to choose.”
While Supervisor Wagner opted for Calvert, he said he still sees a future for Kim.
“There’s got to be another landing spot for her (Kim) because she’s quite talented,” Wagner told me.
If Calvert keeps building momentum, several OC GOP sources say Kim could soon be introducing herself to Democratic Congressman Derek Tran, who is Orange County’s newest member of Congress, beating former Congresswoman Michelle Steel last election cycle in the nearby 45th district.
When asked about the likelihood of a challenge, Tran immediately responded through his spokeswoman that he’s ready to defend his seat.
“Representing CA-45 is the honor of my life,” Tran stated, adding “In my first year in office, I’ve been proud to return over $4.6 million of taxpayer money, solve over 400 constituent cases, and pass meaningful, bipartisan legislation to make life better for California families. And I’m just getting started. I’m looking forward to running on my record in 2026, no matter who my opponent is.”