Young Kim Now Ranked Among Top 10 Most Vulnerable Republican House Incumbents Nationally; CA-40 Ranked Second Most Flippable District in CA

Tustin, CA – Today, Cook Political Report updated their Partisan Voter Index (PVI) to reflect an upgrade in California’s 40th Congressional District, from R+2 to R+1, now at seat number 219 on its PVI ranking. 

This new Cook ranking puts MAGA incumbent Young Kim within:

• Only one position from the critical 218-seat majority tipping point by PVI rank

• Top 10 most vulnerable Republican incumbents in the nation by PVI rank

• Top two most vulnerable Republican incumbents in California by PVI rank

Cook’s ratings update comes in the wake of business owner and mother Esther Kim Varet’s announcement of an unprecedented $1 million first quarter FEC campaign funding report, adding to her campaign’s strong momentum to flip the seat. No other CA-40 candidate has yet announced their Q1 2025 fundraising totals.

“2026 is retirement time for MAGA Republican Young Kim,” said Campaign Manager Ajay Mohan. “There are protests in the district every week in front of her field office, thousands of people show up for town halls, and meanwhile Rep. Kim refuses to hold even a single town hall with her constituents. Everyone from local activists to national ratings agencies are all noticing that Rep. Kim is vulnerable.”

Statement from Candidate Esther Kim Varet: “Next year, CA-40 voters from across the political spectrum will unite to reject the divisive and destructive politics of Donald Trump and his rubber stamp surrogate Young Kim — flipping the last remaining Republican seat in Orange County, and thereby control of the House. The race to make this happen and restore sanity back to our government starts right now. CA-40 voters are fired up for their opportunity to reject Young Kim’s extremism, corruption, and hypocrisy.”

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California’s 40th is a Congressional District representing portions of Orange County, Riverside County, and San Bernardino County in Southern California. CA-40’s constituents voted for Joe Biden over Donald Trump in 2020. House Majority PAC lists CA-40 as a top target in the 2026 cycle, and the Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index (PVI) ranks the district as one of the 10 most vulnerable House seats with a Republican incumbent in the nation.

Incumbent Republican Young Kim’s support for MAGA policies, including a federal ban on abortion even in cases of rape and incest, support of the GOP budget bill that would strip 40,000+ of her constituents from Medicaid, blocking legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs, and rejection of common sense gun safety, have made Kim extremely vulnerable. In contrast, Esther Kim Varet will always vote to protect women’s right to choose, provide access to healthcare, lower prescription drug costs, and support responsible gun safety.

CA-40 includes the cities of Yorba Linda, Anaheim Hills, Orange, Chino Hills, Tustin, Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, Villa Park, Lake Forest, the unincorporated communities of North Tustin and Coto de Caza, and parts of Brea and Corona.