Two Republican candidates are set to advance to the general election in California’s 40th Congressional District, effectively locking out the Democratic Party and guaranteeing a Republican seat in November.
According to data from Decision Desk HQ, U.S. Reps. Ken Calvert and Young Kim are both projected to advance to the general election after several days of counting. Both candidates are vying to remain in Congress following California’s Democrat-led gerrymandering efforts, which drew out five Republican-controlled districts.
With roughly 73 percent of votes counted, Calvert has received about 35.7 percent (57,761 votes), while Kim received 21.1 percent (34,189 votes). Democrat Esther Kim-Varet placed third with 16.2 percent (26,215 votes), followed by other Democratic Party candidates such as Lisa Ramirez at around 13.5 percent.
This outcome stems from California’s top-two primary system, under which all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, appear on a single ballot in the primary. The two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the general election, even if they belong to the same party.
🚨 PROJECTION 🚨
Incumbent representatives Ken Calvert (R) and Young Kim (R) advance to general election runoff in California’s 40th Congressional District, defeating Esther Kim-Varet (D), Lisa Ramirez (D), and Joe Kerr (D) among others.
This will be an R vs R runoff. pic.twitter.com/aGU91wHVeR
— Real Texan Politics ✝️🇺🇸 (@RealTXPolitics) June 7, 2026
The redrawn 40th District resulted from Proposition 50, a 2025 redistricting measure that adjusted boundaries across several California congressional districts. The new map combined portions of Calvert’s former 41st District and Kim’s 40th District, creating a district spanning parts of Orange and Riverside counties, including areas such as Rancho Santa Margarita, Mission Viejo, Villa Park, Menifee, and Murrieta.
Calvert, a long-serving incumbent from Corona with experience since the 1990s, and Kim, who has represented the area since 2021, competed directly after the redraw.
With both major candidates from the same party advancing, the November general election will feature a Republican-versus-Republican contest. This effectively ensures a Republican hold on the seat, as no Democrat will appear on the general-election ballot.
According to Cook Political Report’s partisan voting index, California’s newly-drawn 40th Congressional District rates as R+6, which is calculated based on past election data. A strong Democrat-leaning environment could have made the seat competitive come November, though the primary result effectively takes the pick-up target off the board.
