U.S. House, California 40th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in California's 40th Congressional District?
Young Kim has the strongest record in California's 40th Congressional District. Young Kim scores 71 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Ken Calvert at 65, as of October 9, 2026. Young Kim's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Ken Calvert's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican
Ken Calvert
65 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 69
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Young Kim
71 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 94
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Ken Calvert
- Unresolved2024-08
End Citizens United filed a complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics in August 2024 over his disclosures of rental properties and earmarks near them; his campaign called it politically motivated.
Where it stands: Complaint filed August 2024; no Office of Congressional Ethics referral or House Ethics Committee action found in the public record as of 2026-10-09. Rechecked 2026-10-09: ethics.house.gov search for Calvert returns no matter.
Sources: Idyllwild Town Crier, Aug. 14, 2024, NBC Palm Springs, Aug. 12, 2024, La Opinion, citing the Los Angeles Times, 2024
- On the record2022-07-19
Voted Yea on the Respect for Marriage Act in July and December 2022 when House Republican leaders McCarthy and Scalise voted Nay.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 373, 2022, House Clerk Roll Call 513, 2022
- On the record2021-01-06
Signed the December 2020 Texas v. Pennsylvania House amicus brief and voted Yea on the House objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electors in January 2021; both objections failed.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021, Texas v. Pennsylvania, amicus brief of 126 Representatives (corrected)
- Credit2025
Rated as exceeding expectations by the Center for Effective Lawmaking for the 118th Congress, with a Legislative Effectiveness Score of 2.803 against a benchmark of 1.519.
- Credit2016-12-16
Sponsored the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act, whose provisions were enacted in the WIIN Act, signed Dec. 16, 2016.
Young Kim
- Unresolved2025-12-04
End Citizens United asked the Office of Congressional Conduct in December 2025 to investigate her for omitting about $50,000 in sponsored travel from disclosures; she then amended her reports to list the trips.
Where it stands: Complaint filed Dec. 4, 2025; amended report filed Dec. 8, 2025; no Office of Congressional Conduct referral or House Ethics Committee action found in the public record as of 2026-10-09. Rechecked 2026-10-09: ethics.house.gov search for Young Kim returns no matter.
Sources: NOTUS, Dec. 4, 2025, Patch, Dec. 10, 2025, citing the Orange County Register, House Clerk amended financial disclosure, Filing ID 10072940
- On the record2026
Voted Yea on the ROTOR Act in 2026 when Speaker Johnson and Majority Leader Scalise voted Nay.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 72, 2026
- On the record2021-01-07
Did not vote on the January 2021 objection to Arizona's certified electors and voted Nay on the objection to Pennsylvania's.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
- On the record2021-02-04
Voted Yea on H. Res. 72 removing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from her committees in February 2021, one of 11 Republicans to do so, when Republican Leader McCarthy voted Nay.
- Credit2025
Ranked 16 of 436 House members on the Lugar Center Bipartisan Index for 2023, the top quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
- Credit2025
Rated as exceeding expectations by the Center for Effective Lawmaking for the 118th Congress, with a Legislative Effectiveness Score of 3.915 against a benchmark of 1.460.
- Credit2025-12-18
Her Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act of 2025 was incorporated into the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act, signed Dec. 18, 2025.
- Credit2024-12
Named one of four federal elected officials to receive a 2024 Newsweek-Stubblefield Institute Civility Award, which recognizes civility and bipartisan collaboration.
Source: Claremont McKenna College Dreier Roundtable, Dec. 18, 2024
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Ken Calvert. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 is on file with the House Clerk, filed May 4, 2026. No periodic transaction reports, House Ethics Committee finding or FEC administrative fine found; a 2024 complaint to the Office of Congressional Ethics is unresolved in the public record.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075757, House Committee on Ethics site search for Calvert, FEC administrative fines search
Young Kim. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 is on file, filed Aug. 6, 2026 after an extension. She amended her 2024 report on Dec. 8, 2025 after a complaint over undisclosed sponsored travel; no ethics finding or FEC fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10074771, House Clerk amended financial disclosure, Filing ID 10072940, House Committee on Ethics site search for Young Kim, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Ken Calvert. Voted Yea on the Respect for Marriage Act in July and December 2022 when House Republican leaders McCarthy and Scalise voted Nay, and voted No on a January 2026 amendment that Speaker Johnson and Leader Scalise supported.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 373, 2022, Respect for Marriage Act, House Clerk Roll Call 513, 2022, House Clerk Roll Call 26, 2026, Roy of Texas Amendment No. 1 to H.R. 7006
Young Kim. Voted Yea on the ROTOR Act in 2026 when Speaker Johnson and Majority Leader Scalise voted Nay.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Ken Calvert. No public record found.
Young Kim. Held seven town halls in 2021, including telephone town halls, webinars and roundtables, and her office offers town hall sign-ups. No record found of 2026 general election debates.
Sources: Orange County Register report card, Dec. 2021, reposted on office site, Office site, home page
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Ken Calvert. In Congress since 1993 and chairs an Appropriations subcommittee. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee finding found.
Sources: Office site, Biography, House Committee on Ethics site search for Calvert
Young Kim. Has held elected office since 2014, in the state Assembly and in Congress since 2021, after work as a congressional staffer. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Young Kim, House Committee on Ethics site search for Young Kim
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Ken Calvert. Voted Yea on both House objections to certified presidential electors from Arizona and Pennsylvania in January 2021, and signed the December 2020 Texas v. Pennsylvania House amicus brief.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021, Texas v. Pennsylvania, amicus brief of 126 Representatives (corrected)
Young Kim. Did not vote on the January 2021 objection to Arizona's certified electors and voted Nay on the objection to Pennsylvania's. Not on the Texas v. Pennsylvania amicus list; no misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Ken Calvert. In the U.S. House since January 1993, now in his 17th term.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Young Kim. In the U.S. House since January 2021, seeking a fourth term; served in the California Assembly from 2014 to 2016.
Sources: GovTrack, missed votes, Ballotpedia, Young Kim
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Ken Calvert. Chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and also serves on the Energy and Water Development subcommittee.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Young Kim. Chairs the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific; also serves on Financial Services and the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Ken Calvert. Offers an e-newsletter and publishes issue pages. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Young Kim. Offers an e-newsletter and town hall sign-ups and publishes issue pages. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Ballotpedia, Young Kim
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Ken Calvert. A lifelong Riverside County resident and Corona High School graduate whose current constituents make up about half of the new 40th District. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 38 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Office site, Biography, Spectrum News 1, May 7, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Young Kim. Lives in Anaheim Hills, where her main district office is, and says she lives in the district. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 38 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Patch, Dec. 10, 2025, Spectrum News 1, May 7, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Ken Calvert. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine record found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Young Kim. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine record found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Ken Calvert. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 2.803 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.519, exceeds expectations. Primary sponsor of 19 enacted bills, including the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation
Young Kim. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 3.915 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.460, exceeds expectations. Her Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act was enacted in the FY2026 defense authorization.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, H.R. 910 (119th Congress)
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Ken Calvert. Missed 512 of 21,039 roll call votes, 2.4 percent, from January 1993 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Young Kim. Missed 28 of 2,915 roll call votes, 1.0 percent, from January 2021 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Ken Calvert. Lists district offices in Corona and Palm Desert and takes casework on federal agency problems. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site, Contact
Young Kim. Lists district offices in Anaheim Hills and Mission Viejo; in 2021 her office helped nearly 2,000 constituents with federal assistance, per an Orange County Register report card.
Sources: Office site, home page, Orange County Register report card, Dec. 2021, reposted on office site
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Ken Calvert. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.45410 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 218 of 436.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Young Kim. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 1.37862 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 16 of 436, in the top quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Ken Calvert. No public record found.
Young Kim. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in California's 40th Congressional District?
Young Kim has the strongest record in California's 40th Congressional District. Young Kim scores 71 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Ken Calvert at 65, as of October 9, 2026. Young Kim's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Ken Calvert's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in California's 40th Congressional District in 2026?
Ken Calvert (Republican), Young Kim (Republican, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Ken Calvert a good candidate for Congress?
Ken Calvert scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 69 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Young Kim a good candidate for Congress?
Young Kim scores 71 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 94 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every California race scored, and the California 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.