# Ken Calvert Defeats Young Kim in California Congressional District 40 Race Longtime Republican incumbent Ken Calvert secures victory against colleague Young Kim in redrawn district. - **Source:** [Los Angeles Times – California](https://www.latimes.com/california) - **Published:** 2026-11-10 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/72e6f1fc-ee66-46d0-8a12-c5116b117666 ## Incumbent Versus Incumbent Republican Representative Ken Calvert defeated fellow GOP incumbent Young Kim in the newly reconfigured 40th Congressional District. The race was a rare general election contest between two members of the same party. The Associated Press officially declared Calvert the winner on Monday evening, one week after the November 3 election. ## Redistricting Impact The two candidates were forced into the same district following the passage of Proposition 50. This voter-backed initiative aimed to increase Democratic representation in the House by redrawing California's congressional boundaries. Calvert retained approximately half of his previous constituents, while Kim kept about one-third, significantly influencing the final electoral outcome. ## Campaign Spending Dynamics Young Kim ran a prolific fundraising campaign, amassing a war chest of $10 million compared to Calvert’s $7 million. Despite this financial advantage, Calvert benefited from over $6 million in spending by the Americans 4 Security PAC. This group notably targeted Democratic voters with fliers linking Kim to President Donald Trump. ## Political Alignment Both Calvert and Kim are supporters of President Trump and campaigned on their loyalty to his agenda. The contest forced the candidates to compete over their MAGA credentials within a district where registered Republicans account for less than 40% of the electorate. Democrats represent 31% of voters, with 21% having no preference. ## Legislative Experience Ken Calvert, 73, is the longest-serving Republican in California’s congressional delegation, having first been elected in 1992. He currently serves as a senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations and chairs the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. His deep institutional experience provided a distinct advantage during this highly contested reelection battle. ## District Geography The 40th District spans across two Southern California counties, reaching from Mission Viejo in Orange County into Woodcrest, Menifee, and Murrieta in Riverside County. This specific configuration was designed to alter the balance of power in Washington, placing two established Republican incumbents in a direct fight for a single seat. ## External Influences The Americans 4 Security PAC played a pivotal role in the race, utilizing funds from donors including executives at the Miami-based firm Palantir. By strategically mailing fliers to Democratic voters, the PAC sought to influence the outcome by highlighting the candidates' shared political ties to the former president during the campaign. ## Election Outcome Calvert declared victory on Thursday, though Kim did not concede the race before the official call. The Associated Press confirmed the result on Monday at 9:31 p.m. EST. This victory secures Calvert’s position in the House, concluding a unique political cycle defined by aggressive redistricting and intense intra-party competition in California. ## Sources covering this story - [Los Angeles Times – California — Rep. Ken Calvert Wins Contested Southern California Congressional Race](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-11-09/rep-calvert-declared-winner-in-contested-southern-california-congressional-race) - [ABC News – Politics — Ken Calvert Wins California's 40th Congressional District Reelection](https://abcnews.com/Politics/wireStory/republican-ken-calvert-wins-reelection-us-house-californias-137998550) - [ABC News – Politics — Republican Ken Calvert Secures Reelection in California's 40th District](https://abcnews.com/Politics/wireStory/republican-ken-calvert-wins-reelection-us-house-californias-137998545) - [Roll Call — Rep. Ken Calvert Wins All-Republican Race in California](https://rollcall.com/2026/11/10/ken-calvert-reelection-california-young-kim/) - [The Hill – Campaign — Ken Calvert Defeats Young Kim in California's 40th District Race](https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/6194420-calvert-wins-ca-40th-district/) --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._