At least two Republican Southern California congress members will face off against each other to represent Anaheim Hills and the eastern part of Orange County next year in the aftermath of Tuesday’s night overwhelming Prop. 50 victory.
[Read: Here’s How Prop. 50 Could Reshape Orange County’s Political Landscape]
The state’s redrawn congressional map reshaped the 40th District – an area that includes an eastern chunk of OC like Anaheim Hills, Rancho Santa Margarita as well as Mission Viejo and – now – parts of Riverside County, like portions of Corona, Lake Elsinore and Murrieta.
To view an interactive version of the Prop. 50 map, click here.
Rep. Young Kim (R-Anaheim) currently represents the 40th District and announced she’s running to keep her seat shortly after 12 p.m. Wednesday.
“These failed career politicians made partisan deals behind closed doors to redraw districts in ways that help themselves and their allies instead of the voters,” Kim said in her statement. “I’m running because California needs proven fighters who will stand with President Trump to advance a bold America First agenda.”
But Kim is already facing a challenger from within her own party.
Congressman Ken Calvert (R-Corona) has already thrown his hat in the ring, announcing Wednesday morning he’d be running to take over the 40th district, around 70% of which included his old district in Riverside County.
“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,” he said in a Wednesday statement.
Calvert has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1993.
“No one else comes close to my record of service to the new 40th. I’ve lived here my entire life and already represent the majority of this district in Congress.”
While the Prop. 50 map is designed to give Democrats an advantage to win five more of the state’s 52 congressional seats in the 2026 election, local political observers say the redrawn 40th District is expected to give an edge to Republicans candidates.
“This is the safest district, whoever is victorious sort of has an easy time in ‘28 and ‘30,” said Jodi Balma, a Fullerton College political science professor and local political observer in a Wednesday interview. “I think we’re going to see a lot of movement.”
At the same time, Balma questions if Congressman Darrelll Issa (R-Escondido) will throw his hat in the race for the new 40th congressional district as well after his existing district picked up a large chunk of registered Democrats.
Jonathan Wilcox, a spokesman for Issa, didn’t respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if all three of them ran,” Balma said. “Today is going to be the game of musical chairs. I think many of the incumbents are going to be searching for different districts.”
Mike Moodian, a Chapman University political science professor, said it’s unlikely all three of them would stay in the race all the way to election day, adding they might announce campaigns to figure out how much money they can fundraise.
“Usually what happens is if there are two or three candidates with high name ID in a race after several months, one or more drop out because they see perhaps one candidate has all the support in terms of fundraising or is ahead in the polls,” Moodian said in a Wednesday interview.
Lisa Ramirez, a Democrat and the lead immigration attorney for Narciso Barranco – a 48-year-old Tustin landscaper who was violently arrested by immigration agents this past summer – announced Wednesday that she will continue running for the 40th District’s Congressional seat.
“Voters across California, including in Orange and Riverside Counties, have spoken loud and clear,” she said in Wednesday’s email statement on Prop. 50. “They are ready for leadership that puts people first and stands up to the political dysfunction in Washington.”
Balma said the district could see a host of Republican challengers.
“(Kim’s) district was relatively safe before. It has become monumentally safe now, and that’s going to bring challenges from the right.”
Noah Biesiada is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at nbiesiada@voiceofoc.org.
Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at helattar@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @ElattarHosam.