Young Kim strips Trump references from campaign as GOP candidates distance themselves
Rep. Young Kim has removed mentions of Donald Trump from her website and campaign signs as the Republican Party grapples with the president’s waning popularity.
In the June primary for California’s 40th congressional district, Young Kim’s campaign initially promoted her as a staunch Trump supporter, featuring the president’s name and an "America First" agenda on her website. By August, those references were removed, and her signage was altered to emphasize tax cuts rather than the "Trump Republican" tag. Kim’s rival, Ken Calvert, who led the primary, continues to contest the seat.
The shift mirrors a broader trend among GOP office-seekers, including Andy Barr in Kentucky and Ralph Alvarado, who have also excised Trump imagery and endorsements from their campaign platforms. A spokesperson for Kim dismissed claims of distancing, pointing to recent social-media posts that still reference Trump’s accounts. The changes come as the party seeks to appeal to moderate voters ahead of the November election.
Why it matters
The edits signal a strategic move by Republicans to soften ties with Trump as they court broader electorates.
How this story developed
- Aug 15 Trump aides say president reluctant to campaign for down-ballot Republicans
- Sep 3 Sand publicly opposed Harris’s potential 2028 presidential run.
- Sep 6 President Donald Trump signed an order to change the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America," a move that only obliges U.S. federal agencies and has limited effect elsewhere.
- Sep 6 Trump ordered a Dallas midterm convention just before Thanksgiving, triggering a ticket‑sale scramble and prompting several GOP officials to boycott the event.
- Sep 6 President Trump is reportedly weighing an end to the Iran war.
- Sep 7 The order has led to temporary updates on mapping platforms and diplomatic irritation from Canada.
- Sep 7 Trump also directed the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed “Gulf of America” and floated proposals to rename the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, while ordering alterations to the White House grounds.
- Sep 7 A new poll shows Trump’s disapproval rating is nearly double its 2018 level, threatening GOP prospects in the midterms.
- Sep 7 MAGA Inc. filed an FEC report showing a new advertising purchase for the Texas Senate contest.
- Sep 8 Networks have scaled back live coverage of the convention to prioritize NFL opening‑weekend games.
- Sep 8 Republican strategists are distributing free tickets via unsolicited texts and a lottery to fill the venue.
- Sep 8 Trump issued an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" and has renamed other bodies of water.
- Sep 9 Organizers offered five‑figure tickets and hosted multiple donor events during the convention week.
- Sep 9 Texas Democrats adopt divergent tactics, with Tarrant County opting out of press events and Dallas County organizing a rally.
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