Redistricting forced two California Republicans into a June primary showdown for the newly drawn 40th District, a solidly Republican seat that merges parts of Orange and Riverside counties. Veteran Rep. Ken Calvert, 72, and former Orange County legislator Young Kim, 63, both claim MAGA credentials while trading accusations of disloyalty to former President Trump.

Calvert’s campaign unleashed a super‑PAC that poured roughly $2.2 million into TV, radio and mail ads labeling Kim a RINO, citing her 2021 vote to censure Trump over Jan. 6. Kim responded with a $3.7 million advertising push, emphasizing her conservative record and warning that decades‑long seniority in Washington runs counter to the anti‑establishment mood that propelled Trump’s return.

The intra‑party clash has left local GOP leaders uneasy, fearing donor fatigue and the possibility that a Democratic spoiler could slip into the top‑two primary if the Republican vote splits. With both incumbents refusing to endorse each other, the race underscores how California’s Proposition 50 redistricting reshaped political maps and forced entrenched conservatives into direct competition.

Donors on both sides have already committed sizable sums, turning the primary into a de facto fundraising battle that could influence future GOP spending strategies in the state. Regardless of which Republican advances, the outcome will determine who controls a key defense appropriations subcommittee seat and how the California GOP positions itself for the 2028 congressional map.