GOP lawmaker ousts fellow Republican in gerrymandered California district

Gov. Gavin Newsom-signed California redistricting has scored at least a 2-for-1 consolidation of House Republicans.

Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., is projected to defeat fellow Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., in the 40th Congressional District race called Monday night, ostensibly forcing two incumbents to battle for one seat in the gerrymandered district.

"I want to congratulate Congressman Ken Calvert on his victory," Kim wrote in a statement posted to X, sharply criticizing the map that effectively drew one of them out. "I wish him the very best as he continues representing our communities. It is unfortunate that Gavin Newsom’s political redistricting scheme forced two Republican members of Congress into this race."

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All told, Democrats' redistricting and the so-called blue wave have more than cut the Republican California delegation in half, from nine seats (eight Republicans and one independent that caucuses with them) to just three or four (one race remains too close to call a week after the election).

Calvert, the longest-serving Republican in California’s House delegation, had declared victory days earlier while ballots were still being counted.

The district covers suburban communities in eastern Orange County and stretches into the Inland Empire in western Riverside County — southeast of Los Angeles.

California voters approved the Democratic-backed redistricting plan that combined portions of the two lawmakers' previous districts into a single seat, setting up the rare intraparty contest in one of the state’s remaining Republican strongholds. Kim had represented the area since 2018. Calvert's prior district, which included much of Riverside County and Palm Springs, was carved up and redistributed.

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Calvert is just one of three House Republicans in the state to survive thus far.

Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., and Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif., won re-election in the 5th and 20th Congressional Districts. Those are heavily Republican stretches of the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada foothills — rural agricultural and mountain country well inland, roughly between San Francisco and Los Angeles but far from both coastal metros in the western parts of the state.

Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., is clinging to a narrow lead of just 3,384 votes over Democratic challenger Tessa Lynn Hodge in California's 23rd Congressional District, a High Desert seat in San Bernardino County that was rated Solid R by the Fox News Power Rankings before the midterms.

With ballots still being counted, Obernolte holds just a 1.6-point edge — about 50.8% to 49.2% — after winning the district by more than 20 points in 2024.

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Four other Republicans from California are leaving Congress in January 2027.

Rep. James Gallagher, R-Calif., lost to Democrat Mike McGuire by nearly 13 points, while Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., lost to Democrat Randy Villegas by nearly 37 points.

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., did not seek re-election and his former seat flipped to blue under the new map, with Democrat Marni von Wilpert defeating Republican Jim Desmond by nearly 20 points.

Rep. Kevin Kiley, I-Calif., who left the Republican Party to try to keep his seat as an independent, lost by more than 17 points to Democrat Richard Pan.

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Calvert against Kim was the lone GOP vs. GOP battle left by the new map.

"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," Kim wrote in her statement posted to X late Monday night. "It has been a privilege to give back to the community that has given me so much, and I am incredibly grateful to my family, our volunteers, supporters, and everyone who placed their trust in me throughout this campaign."

Kim said she was proud of the record 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."

During the campaign, both candidates supported President Donald Trump’s agenda early on and later sought to project themselves as pragmatic conservatives.

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The race turned negative, with Kim citing ethics complaints and an FBI investigation into some of Calvert’s real estate dealings. Calvert denied the allegations and was never charged.

Calvert highlighted a campaign donation Kim received from a Chinese American businessman who has faced scrutiny over alleged foreign influence. Kim returned the contribution and said she was unaware of the claims.

"With the passage of Prop 50, Californians were sold a bill of goods, allowing Gavin Newsom and his radical allies in Sacramento an unprecedented power grab to redraw the Congressional map and silence those who disagree with his extreme policies," Calvert wrote on X a year ago.

"Gerrymandering districts because you don’t like the results of an election is politics at its absolute worst. 

"Governor Newsom pouring millions into this ballot initiative while crime goes unchecked, housing costs skyrocket, and taxes as well as gas prices remain among the highest in the nation shows he’s more interested in protecting his party’s stranglehold on the state than delivering on the issues families face. Despite the passage of Prop 50, I am determined to keep fighting for the families I represent in Congress."

Calvert’s victory leaves him as the senior Republican voice in California heading into 2027.