Battleground District Victors Praise Kim Varet as a “refreshing voice” and “the best Democrat to take the last Republican House seat in Orange County”

Tustin, CA – Today, Esther Kim Varet announced endorsements from former U.S. Representatives Harley Rouda and Dean Phillips. Both Rouda and Phillips flipped their respective districts from red to blue in 2018 during Trump’s first term, defeating 30-year and 10-year Republican incumbents, respectively. Rep. Rouda represented parts of Orange County during his tenure in Congress. 

These endorsements add to the building momentum behind Kim Varet’s campaign: this week, her first campaign ad was featured twice on CNN, she was endorsed by ASPIRE PAC (the first caucus endorsement in the CA-40 race), and earlier this month she was endorsed by VoteMama. In Q1, Kim Varet netted more cash than MAGA incumbent Young Kim, and outraised the combined Democratic field by over 3.2x.

“I’m proud to support Esther Kim Varet for Congress against Young Kim.” said former Orange County Congressman Harley Rouda. “As a former Congressman from Orange County, I see every day the damage that the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans are doing to our communities. Esther is the best Democrat to take the last Republican House seat in Orange County. She will fight for small businesses like her own and work on both sides of the aisle to serve our communities, just like I did on the Hill. Let’s get to work for Esther!”

“I'm proud to endorse Esther Kim Varet to represent California's 40th district in Congress,” said former three-term Congressman Dean Phillips. “A successful entrepreneur and job creator, Esther will bring fiscal responsibility, common sense, and a refreshing voice to Washington. California and our country must replace career politicians with courageous leaders like Esther who will stand up for what is right while standing against corruption, cronyism, and incompetence. Please join me in supporting Esther and a Democratic House majority in 2026!”

“Too many career politicians don’t actually know how the real world works,” said Esther Kim Varet. “As an entrepreneur and business owner, I have always admired pragmatic progressives like Harley Rouda and Dean Phillips who serve on behalf of the people, advocating for common sense policies that affect real change in the real world.”

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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, the DCCC lists CA-40 as a “District in Play”, 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. Esther Kim Varet raised over $1 million in Q1 2025, outpacing the combined Democratic field by over 3.2x.

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.