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RandySF

(84,344 posts)
Wed Apr 1, 2026, 07:03 PM Wednesday

CA-40: Rep. Laura Friedman (D) Endorses Esther Kim-Varet (D) for Congress

COTO DE CAZA, CA — Esther Kim-Varet, frontrunner to flip California’s 40th Congressional District, today announced the endorsement of Rep. Laura Friedman (CA-30), the freshman Congresswoman representing Burbank, Glendale, West Hollywood, and parts of Los Angeles and Pasadena. Friedman, a former film and television executive turned small business owner who succeeded Adam Schiff in Congress, has built a national reputation as a fierce advocate for affordable housing, environmental protection, and fighting corporate corruption — all of which are core pillars of Kim-Varet’s campaign to flip CA-40.

“Esther is exactly the kind of leader California needs in Congress — a working mom and small business owner who answers to her community, not corporate donors,” said Rep. Laura Friedman. “CA-40 is shaping up to be the critical race in Southern California in our battle to win back the House. Esther has the grassroots support, the resources, and the backbone to retire them both. I’m proud to stand with her.”

MAGA Rep. Young Kim and MAGA Rep. Ken Calvert have occupied their congressional seats for a combined 39 years — and in that time, have amassed a despicable record of putting corporate donors and Donald Trump ahead of the Californians they were elected to serve.

Calvert, who has been in Congress since 1993 (Esther was still in elementary school!), has been named one of the most corrupt members of Congress by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and has used his position to personally profit from earmarks directed to land deals near his own real estate holdings. Young Kim has taken huge sums from the oil and gas industry, earned an “F-” from the League of Conservation Voters, and cast the deciding vote on a Republican budget bill that would strip healthcare from over 40,000 of her own constituents.



https://theliberaloc.com/2026/04/01/rep-laura-friedman-endorses-esther-kim-varet-for-congress/

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CA-40: Rep. Laura Friedman (D) Endorses Esther Kim-Varet (D) for Congress (Original Post) RandySF Wednesday OP
In District 40 FHRRK1 Wednesday #1

FHRRK1

(23 posts)
1. In District 40
Wed Apr 1, 2026, 08:11 PM
Wednesday

And I am not sold on Kim-Varet. I will check again tonight, but her website has nothing relating to policy. Reached out to her campaign and they said it will be there in a couple of weeks. Checked a month later and no updates.

Experience was also very limited. No elected office experience, limited work experience.

She has raised a lot of money.

Edit to add:
Website still very generic
https://www.estherkimvaret.com/

One other red flag - if she lives in Cota de Caza that is another huge red flag. Largest gated community in US. Housewives of Orange County, that was Coto de Caza. What liberal would actually choose to live there. Huge Trump area, sure there are some liberals, but the simple fact of picking that area sets off alarms.

And posting on Twitter/X! Another red flag.

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