CORONA, Calif. — While California isn’t considered friendly territory for Trump supporters, a bitter Republican primary battle is unfolding in a district southeast of Los Angeles where two sitting House members are attacking each other’s dedication to the former president.
Rep. Ken Calvert, who holds the distinction of being the longest-serving Republican in California’s House delegation, has launched advertisements labeling his opponent Rep. Young Kim as a “traitor” to President Donald Trump and calling her “a liberal and a liar.” His campaign spots feature old footage of Kim making critical comments about Trump.
Kim, who previously emphasized her independence from Trump’s administration, now calls herself a “Trump Republican” and has released commercials claiming Calvert has been “sabotaging President Trump’s agenda” while only “serving himself.” She has accused him of working in “lockstep with Nancy Pelosi,” the former Democratic House speaker who remains unpopular among Republican voters.
The harsh rhetoric between these two House members, who were once cordial colleagues, highlights the high stakes of a race neither wanted to face. The June 2 primary marks the first election since Gov. Gavin Newsom successfully pushed for new congressional boundaries as part of a nationwide redistricting effort aimed at securing Democrats five additional House seats in California.
This Republican-against-Republican battle in one of the remaining conservative strongholds in left-leaning California demonstrates how electoral maps have been transformed nationwide.
The matchup has drawn national attention: Calvert and Kim represent the only Republican House incumbents competing against each other in the 2026 primaries. Texas features a similar situation with Democratic Reps. Al Green and Christine Menefee also forced to compete due to redistricting.
The campaign reveals how many Republicans continue to rally around the president despite his declining approval ratings amid the war in Iran and rising consumer costs.
Democrats across the nation have found encouragement in recent election outcomes leading up to the midterms, which historically benefit the party not controlling the presidency. Trump has demonstrated his ongoing influence within the party by helping defeat several incumbents who challenged the White House. Republicans currently maintain a narrow 217-212 House majority, with one independent and five empty seats.
During a recent weekend gathering organized by conservative activists in Calvert’s home city of Corona, retired Trump supporter Mike Rutland expressed uncertainty about his choice amid the flood of attack ads from both campaigns. Absentee voting has already begun.
“I want my state back,” Rutland expressed, frustrated with years of Democratic leadership. Regarding the primary, he stated “we don’t want any RINOs,” referring to the disparaging term meaning “Republicans in name only.”
The nationwide struggle for House control continues as more states work to redraw district lines for political gain following a recent Supreme Court decision that limited the federal Voting Rights Act and gave states more freedom to eliminate districts with significant minority populations. In California, the revised House map has disrupted Republican ranks when a single district’s outcome could decide overall control.
Veteran GOP Rep. Darrell Issa announced his retirement in March rather than face competition in a redrawn district favoring Democrats. Former Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley switched to independent status when confronted with a difficult reelection campaign in a Democratic-leaning area. GOP Rep. David Valadao is pursuing reelection in his Central Valley district where Democratic voter registration was increased in an attempt to defeat him.
For both Calvert and Kim, this election in a district spanning inland Riverside and Orange counties might serve as preparation for a head-to-head rematch in November. California’s election system allows the top two primary vote-getters to proceed to the general election regardless of party affiliation. While five Democrats and one independent appear on the ballot, the district’s nearly 9-point Republican voter registration advantage suggests only the two Republicans may advance.
In a state where Republicans haven’t captured a statewide office in twenty years, this GOP-favoring district represents a remnant from the past. Orange County once ranked among America’s most reliably Republican regions, earning the nickname Reagan country due to its connection with former Republican President Ronald Reagan.
GOP strategist Jon Fleischman, who previously served as executive director of the California Republican Party, observed that both candidates are “giving President Trump a very big bear hug.” However, if both proceed to November, an important consideration will be “Where do all the Democrats and nonconservative voters end up?”
“I think it’s going to be ugly,” Fleischman predicted.
As a preview of potential future attacks, voters have received mail from Kim’s campaign claiming Calvert supported legislation to “force taxpayers to fund sex change operations for children,” which Calvert’s team dismisses as false. Meanwhile, his campaign highlights Kim’s backing of a resolution to censure Trump for his involvement in encouraging the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, branding her a “Trump betrayer.”
“I’m not personalizing it. I’m just pointing out somebody’s record,” Calvert explained regarding her support for the resolution during an interview at the barbecue event.
Calvert, who first won election in 1992, has represented territory comprising more than half of the redrawn district and serves on the influential Appropriations Committee.
Kim was born in South Korea, raised in Guam, and moved to California for her college education. She established herself as a small-business owner before winning election to the state Assembly and later Congress.
During her 2018 House campaign, she highlighted her independence from Trump’s White House on matters like trade policy. “I’m a different kind of candidate,” she told The Associated Press then.
Kim now pledges on her website to “stand with President Trump.”
“The great American comeback depends on it,” she stated.
