Republican showdown set for California's new 40th congressional district as Calvert, Kim announce candidacies
Gov. Gavin Newsom's Proposition 50 initiative will knock at least one prominent California Republican out of Congress, as two of them each announced their candidacies for the new 40th congressional district on Wednesday.
Rep. Ken Calvert, a congressional mainstay for more than 30 years, announced Wednesday will attempt to remain in Congress with a run in the newly drawn 40th Congressional District. Hours later, Rep. Young Kim said she'll run for re-election in the same district, setting up a showdown between the two Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections.
The announcements come on the heels of the projected passage of Proposition 50, the off-cycle redistricting initiative spearheaded by Gov. Gavin Newsom. A CBS News projection on Wednesday afternoon showed that 63.8% of voters backed the proposition.
The new 40th congressional district will effectively split Corona in half and span from the easternmost cities of Orange County, like Villa Park and Mission Viejo, across the Inland Empire to Murrieta and Menifee.
Calvert, a vocal critic of the initiative, currently represents California's 41st congressional district. The district currently covers parts of the Inland Empire, but will be redrawn to span parts of western Orange County and southeast Los Angeles County.
The Corona native now seeks to remain in the House of Representatives, where he has been in office since 1992.
"The newly drawn 40th District is where I was born and raised," Calvert said in a statement. "I've had the honor of serving the overwhelming majority of these communities and delivering results for both Riverside and Orange Counties."
Calvert will potentially face a reality he hasn't dealt with much in his 30-plus years in Congress — a competitive electoral challenge.
Kim, of Anaheim Hills, has represented the 40th congressional district since 2023. The 63-year-old immigrated from South Korea as a teenager, and like Calvert, is a staunch supporter of President Trump.
"I am running for re-election in California's 40th district. Gavin Newsom and Democrats in Sacramento made partisan deals behind closed doors to redraw districts in ways that benefit themselves and their allies, not voters," Kim said. "I'm running because it is clear we need an America First champion to take the fight to the radical Democrats and help President Trump unleash the Golden Age."
It's not yet clear if anyone else, including any Democrats, will enter the race.