Two Republican incumbents advanced to California’s general election in the 40th Congressional District after ballots were counted, denying Democrats a competitive race in the seat.
Rep. Ken Calvert and Rep. Young Kim both secured spots on the November ballot after competing in the same primary following mid-decade redistricting. Decision Desk HQ reported Calvert at 35.68 percent and Kim at 21.12 percent as of Sunday, with no Democratic candidate reaching the threshold to advance.
The Primary Results
The outcome marked a significant development in California’s 40th Congressional District, where redistricting had placed two Republican representatives in competition. The result means Democrats will not field a competitive candidate in a general election seat, a reversal of expectations after the state’s redistricting process.
The race drew national attention, with Texas Republican Rep. Brandon Gill endorsing Calvert. Gill noted that “Ken Calvert is a huge defender and supporter of the president” and praised his “fantastic record on immigration.”
Ballot Counting Delays
The race results emerged as California continued processing hundreds of thousands of outstanding ballots more than a week after Election Day. County officials reported only 77,521 additional ballots processed since early June, with approximately 713,180 ballots remaining to be counted across Los Angeles County alone.
Observers visiting the county’s 144,000-square-foot ballot processing center found numerous workstations empty despite the substantial backlog. The facility’s work stations showed limited activity in several sections, raising questions about the pace of ballot processing operations.
National Scrutiny
The counting delays triggered broader scrutiny of California’s election procedures. Former President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that Democrats were attempting to “steal” California primaries through delayed mail-in ballot counts, though he provided no evidence of irregularities.
Election officials have continued processing votes as county staff work through the outstanding ballot volume. The extent of remaining ballots and ongoing processing have kept attention focused on how California conducts its elections.
This story has been updated. CNN’s staff contributed to this report.
