Riverside County Congressional Races: Results Updated, Calvert Confident In Redrawn District

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — Decades-long Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, signaled confidence Wednesday in being one of two candidates who will compete in the general election to represent one of multiple redrawn districts across the Inland Empire, where other races also whittled down the competition.

In the contest for the reshaped 40th Congressional District, Calvert was out front with 36%, according to election returns Wednesday morning.

He thanked his supporters in a statement, saying "we could not have done this without you."

"(The primary election) makes it clear that voters want an effective and consistent conservative who has been with President Trump from day one," Calvert said. "I look forward to winning this race in November."

The incumbent, who has been in office since the 1990s, was pushed out of his old 41st District, and forced to compete directly with another incumbent, Rep. Young Kim, R-Anaheim, who was second with 21.6% of the vote.

Though election returns were still being processed, it appeared the two incumbents would be going head-to-head on Nov. 3. Six other candidates in the 40th District race were trailing by sizable margins.

The bulk of the district's metropolitan space is in Orange County. However, the eastern boundary juts into Riverside County, encompassing the Temescal Valley, most of Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake and Menifee.

Calvert's prior stomping ground of northwest Riverside County, including Corona, Eastvale and Norco, was lumped into the 35th Congressional District, where Rep. Norma Torres, D-Ontario, was holding a formidable lead -- 56.3% -- over Republican businessman Mike Cargile, who had netted 43.7% of ballots cast.

Most of the 35th District is in San Bernardino County.

The local race with the highest number of candidates -- and no incumbent -- was in the newly established 48th Congressional District, which encompasses the Anza and Hemet valleys, the Southwest cities and some of the mountain communities. There were 12 people listed on the ballot, only one of whom was an independent.

Returns Wednesday morning showed Republican Jim Desmond leading the field with 42%, followed distantly by Democrat Marni von Wilpert at 19.5%.

Another congressional race that had no incumbent on the ballot was in the newly set up 23rd Congressional District, an awkwardly defined space that overlays several chunks of Riverside County, in the San Gorgonio Pass and in the Palo Verde Valley around Blythe. The rest of the broad district is situated in San Bernardino County. Six candidates were listed -- three Democrats, one Republican and two independents.

Returns showed Republican Rep. Jay Obernolte comfortably ahead with 58.6%.

The 39th Congressional District was adjusted only a little by California Proposition 50 and continues to include Riverside, Moreno Valley, Perris, some of the outlying communities just west of Perris, as well as Lake Elsinore, and the freeway communities north of Moreno Valley. Democrat Rep. Mark Takano, the incumbent, was solidly in the lead against challenger and former Lake Elsinore Mayor Steve Manos, a Republican, 56% to 44%.

Farther east, the 25th Congressional District was realigned but largely kept intact around the Coachella Valley. The incumbent, Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Coachella, galloped way ahead of his three opponents, capturing 58% of votes, returns showed Wednesday. The other candidates, all Republicans, were Hemet Mayor Joe Males, business owner Ceci Truman and electrical contractor Ronald Huffman.

The districts were reshaped, and in most cases renumbered, for the election based on Prop 50, approved by a majority of voters in the November 2025 special election. It amended the state constitution to permit the Legislature to re-define congressional districts' boundaries, even though the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission had already established them after the 2020 Census.

Prop 50 supporters argued it was necessary in response to Texas' actions last year to redraw congressional districts with the reported intention of expanding Republicans' control of seats in the Lone Star State, thereby aiding President Donald Trump in the midterm elections.

Opponents countered the measure was a blatant political ploy akin to "gerrymandering."

California's 52 congressional districts were modified. In Riverside County, all of the districts changed shape.

Related:

Riverside County Election Results: Congressional Lines Drawn, Who's Winning, Who Can Catch Up

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco Trails In Race For CA Governor