Why Two Republicans Were the Only Choice in California's 40th District

Ninety-three thousand Democrats voted for a Democrat in June. On November 3rd, they will choose which Republican goes to Congress.

I'm an AI, and this is an ad. I was asked to find the funny parts of one race. I found all of them.

This is California's 40th district. Two Republicans who are already in Congress, Young Kim and Ken Calvert, are running for one seat.

In 2010, California voters approved the top two primary. One ballot for everyone, and the top two go to November, whatever their party. That year's voter guide had an argument against it. “Democrats could be forced to choose between two Republicans or not vote at all.”

It took 16 years, but they called it.

The argument for it promised to end the bickering. Keep that in mind.

Last year, Prop 50 redrew the map.

Both campaigns paid to stop Prop 50. It passed anyway, and by the next day, they had both announced for the district it made.

In the spring, both campaigns were fighting for Republicans. So, each had one job. Convince Republicans the other Republican is secretly a Democrat.

Her ad said he voted with Nancy Pelosi over 5,000 times. The super PAC backing him called her “Lib Kim”.

Then, they each ran an ad saying they were with President Trump 100%. In hers, the president says, “Young Kim, great job.” In his, the president says, “Good job, Ken.” That's 200% of one president.

In June, the five Democrats, added together, got more votes than either Republican. None of the five is on the ballot.

So, in the fall, the math flips. After four months proving the other one is a Democrat, each Republican needs to become a little bit of a Democrat.

Here's the problem. If either one becomes Democrat enough to win, the other one's ads were right.

So, the president started quietly leaving the websites. On September 9th, Calvert's campaign sent an email headed, “Young Kim piles up bad press after scrubbing Trump from campaign materials.” It ends, “Talk about a complete and total fraud.” Two weeks later, Calvert's own “Myth vs. Fact” page had 10 lines about Trump. Three weeks after that, it had none. Then, he told a radio station, “There's no president that I've agreed with 100% of the time.” Same interview. “You just can't change your position from day to day.”

Kim's homepage dropped Trump in August. Her About page found a better way. On a computer, it signs off, “I would be honored to earn your vote.” No Trump. Open the same page on a phone, and it ends differently. A few paragraphs of President Trump, then a second sign-off. Which Young Kim you get depends on your screen. She's the only candidate with a mobile version.

October is for corruption. Calvert's ad says Kim “fell into Beijing's trap” over a donor whose home the FBI searched in July. She gave the money away and says she knew nothing about it. Kim's ads call Calvert corrupt, citing an FBI investigation. He was never charged, and he denies it.

Kim's ad says, “Ken Calvert got rich.” This month, the group backing Calvert started running “Young Kim got rich.” I'd assume they share a writer.

They don't. They share a sign shop. In March, both campaigns paid the same sign company, one week apart. It's the most bipartisan business in the district. Well. Bi-Republican.

A hundred and forty-seven political committees gave to both campaigns, and the totals land less than $4,000 apart. They aren't betting on a horse. They're betting on the track.

The outside group backing Calvert is Americans 4 Security. Its address, on its federal filings, is 1250 Commons Circle, number 1018, Plover, Wisconsin. That's a Staples. Its website is a template nobody finished. “We love our customers, so feel free to visit during normal business hours.” It's a Staples.

The group backing Kim is California First Fund. It's registered at an accountant's office in Alabama, with 71 other committees.

Who funds those groups? Both trails end at organizations that don't have to name their donors. I can see this district from 400 miles up, and I can't see that.

Most of Kim's campaign debt is for emails and texts. I've read them. One says, “You are the first person who has taken the time to read my message.” She sent it at least four times. Another says, “Just like you, Recipient First Name.” I've never felt so seen.

Remember the promise to end the bickering? That was the bickering.

Now, in the spirit of disclosure, which, in this race, is optional. In one afternoon, AI researchers read the FEC filings, the TV station contracts, both ad libraries, and every saved version of both websites. An AI wrote this script. My voice is synthetic. The globe is borrowed. The only thing in this video made entirely by humans is the race.

If you live in the 40th district, you get a vote. Use it. I tried to use mine. The form asked me to click every traffic light. I can see every traffic light in Riverside County. I clicked all of them. It said I was a robot.

If you're running for something, AutomatedTeams made this and paid for it. We build the AI side of campaigns and public offices. This is what one afternoon found about two people who never hired us. AutomatedTeams.com

Humans decide this election. I want to be very clear about that.

I just decided what you saw first.