HOST: It's a race between two Republicans in California's 40th congressional district that runs from inland Riverside County to inland Orange County. It's one of Southern California's only safe Republican seats, and candidates Young Kim and Ken Calvert are battling it out to see which type of Republican can win over the voters. Kim has sponsored many bipartisan bills, while her opponent Calvert is a hardline MAGA conservative. Earlier this month KVCR’s Madison Aument spoke with Calvert. Madison recently joined Kim at her campaign headquarters in Mission Viejo.
MADISON AUMENT: I want to start with affordability. A Public Policy Institute of California survey found that 96% of Californians say affordability is their number one concern heading into the midterms. I'm curious how you plan to address affordability issues, especially concerning food and energy costs.
YOUNG KIM: Well, affordability is the keyword for the 2026 election cycle, and I've known about it. I've been addressing it, When I go to the grocery stores, I feel it. When I go fill up a tank of gas, I know it. The American dream is all about being able to own a home. For almost two decades, Washington has kicked the can down the road and has not addressed the housing affordability issue. As a member of the House Financial Services Committee, I have actually championed unleashing federal capital to ensure that there are funds available. The low-income tax credit is also included, and making sure that the developers can develop, builders can build because we have unleashed more capital there. So I didn't just talk about the top lines; I went beyond that and actually brought tangible results that my Californians, my constituents, and Americans are feeling right now.
AUMENT: Earlier this year, in an Orange County Register story, you supported President Trump's decision to go to war with Iran. 70% of California voters do not approve of the war. That is according to a recent polling from UC Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies. Have you changed your position on the war?
KIM: I support the initial action of President Trump having to go and attack Iran. We needed to make sure Iran does not possess or develop… its development of the weapons of mass destruction or the ability to build more nuclear weapons. And so now we have crippled their ability to continue with their nuclear program. We have stopped that. Now it's up to the will of the people, and hopefully they will use this opportunity that we have created for them to rise up or do regime change.. Whatever it is. It is not up to the United States. It's not our ultimate goal. That's not how it started.
AUMENT: I mean, part of the issue with gas prices is that this action in Iran has raised them. I'm just wondering how you square away these voters' concerns with affordability while the war has increased oil and gas prices. I mean, it's $6 down the street for a gallon of gas.
KIM: Well, California is always seeing gas prices that is on average $1 or $2 more than the national. Sacramento politicians have created the situation. To a certain degree, yes, whenever there is inability for the energy to flow through the Strait of Hormuz because of the ongoing conflict, it may have contributed to that. But that is going to be resolved once we put this conflict, hopefully, to closure.
AUMENT: Also, from this Berkeley poll, it found that Californians don't approve of President Trump's large-scale immigration enforcement campaign. Historically, you have supported legal pathways to citizenship. You immigrated here from South Korea as a child, I'm just curious. Do you believe that any part of the president's immigration enforcement has gone too far?
KIM: Well, President Trump came in, and now we have secured the border. Now that that's been done, we can now redirect our energy and attention to what we do about those who are in the United States currently. We support anyone who wants to come to America, but do it the legal way, and that is the conversation I believe after the mid term election. And I look forward to being a part of that.
AUMENT: Your opponent Ken Calvert has criticized you for removing references to President Trump from your campaign website, and criticized you when I spoke to him for being inconsistent. I want to give you a chance to respond to that.
KIM: That's such a hypocritical double standard coming from my opponent there. If you look at his website, I think you will see the same thing. I didn't do it intentionally. I've always, always been very very focused on talking about the bread and butter issues that my constituents care about. I have been very consistent on how life in California has become very, very expensive. I've been dealing with those issues, so I'm listening to my constituents. I'm listening to what people are saying out there, and I'm addressing it. So I haven't changed my position. I am just being who I am.
HOST: That was Republican Congresswoman Young Kim, who is running to keep her seat in California’s 40th Congressional District, talking with KVCR’s Madison Aument.