I’m told there are still efforts to convince Young Kim to try and challenge either Dave Min or Derek Tran to stay in Congress, or encourage President Trump to offer Kim an ambassadorship in order to clear the field for Rep. Ken Calvert. So to demonstrate her viability, Kim’s campaign team has released a poll showing that voters prefer her to Calvert. The unintended news revealed that Joe Kerr, who cut deeply into Kim’s vote in 2024 compared to 2022, leads the Democratic field. The survey, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, shows Kerr and Calvert are tied for the number two spot.
Esther Kim-Varet, who released her own poll that omitted Kerr, comes in at 13% with undecided at 19%. No mention of Santa Ana attorney Lisa Ramirez in the Kim poll.
As the Democratic field narrows to three candidates, Kerr has locked up the Labor Union endorsements (and the IE money that comes with it), Kim-Varet has the most cash on hand (and both she and Kerr live in the district as Calvert and Young Kim don’t), and Ramirez doesn’t make a dent.
I’ve been saying for months, this district is winnable by a Democrat who can pull non-Trump supporting Republican voters, Independents, and Moderate Democrats.
Not surprising at all. This is what happens when voters actually get to know the candidates.
Everyone who wants to flip this seat should be paying attention to this poll. In a Top Two system the math is real, and splitting the Dem vote could hand us a Kim-Calvert Top Two.
Kerr is already leading the Democratic field and has the coalition, experience, and credibility to make the Top Two and win in November. If Dems are serious about flipping CA-40, we should be uniting behind the candidate who’s already positioned to get it done.