One of two candidates backed by America's Credit Unions advanced to the general election in Tuesday's California primary, while the other race remained undecided Wednesday afternoon.
Both candidates were members of the House Financial Services Committee.
Democratic incumbent Brad Sherman, 71, will face Larry Thompson, an 81-year-old film producer, in the Nov. 3 general election. Sherman has been in Congress since 1997 and is the third-ranking Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee behind Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.).
His Los Angeles area district leans heavily Democratic. It includes Malibu and part of the San Fernando Valley, including Sherman Oaks and Northridge.
Early results from the California Secretary of State showed Thompson with 37% and Sherman with 36% of the vote. However, six other Democrats together polled 26% of the vote plus an independent won about 1%.
A newly drawn, heavily Republican 40th district pitted AmCU-backed Young Kim, a 62-year-old two-term Republican, against Ken Calvert, a 72-year-old Republican in Congress since 1993.
Calvert advanced to the general election with early results showing Calvert with 36% of the vote. Kim had 22% of the vote and was still vying with Democrat Esther Kim-Varet with 16%. The contest also included four other Democrats who together polled 25% of the vote and an independent with about 1%.
The 40th District includes parts of Orange and Riverside counties south of Los Angeles. Cities in the district include Corona, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Canyon Lake, Menifee, Murrieta, Orange, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Villa Park and Anaheim Hills.
AmCU reported that 53 of its 55 candidates advanced to the general election, while Kim's race and another one had not yet been called. Tuesday's primaries were in California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota.
"A key component of successful advocacy is electing credit union champions to Congress so that our interests are protected from Main Street to the halls of Capitol Hill," Trey Hawkins, AmCU's head of political affairs, said. "Members of Congress who prove that they understand the credit union difference and are willing to champion us are key partners in this movement. Yesterday's results underscore the power of credit unions and we look forward to continuing our support as the primary election season continues."
AmCU is spending in the mid-six figures on each of the Kim and Sherman campaigns, mainly on digital advertising and direct mail. AmCU and California's Credit Unions are working closely with the Sherman campaign to turn out credit union members, while AmCU's spending for Kim is independent of the candidates' campaigns.
Contact Jim DuPlessis at Jim.DuPlessis@arc-network.com.
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