Thank you for lifting up our pursuit of activism, community building and keeping it up! We the People can do this. No time to put your head in the sand! Let’s stay fired up & lean on each other for support‼️💪💕🤗
Wow! I wish I lived in Orange County and could vote for her! Rock on, Lisa! And you Orange County Dems and thinking Republicans, take a good look at this woman!
Thank you for posting this and for confirming my belief that Lisa Ramirez is the best candidate for CA-40.
If the priority is flipping CA-40, then strategy matters. Esther Kim Varet has the resources to make a real difference in this race. The strongest move now would be for Esther to unify with Lisa Ramirez and put those resources to work where they have the best chance of actually flipping the seat.
After the candidate forums, one thing feels clear: if Democrats are serious about flipping CA-40, we need to be equally serious about unity and viability. Esther Kim Varet has built a well-funded campaign and clearly cares about this race. Lisa Ramirez has demonstrated the depth, preparation, and connection to the district needed to win it.
At some point, leadership means stepping back and looking at the bigger picture. Consolidating support behind the strongest candidate is often how seats like this are actually flipped. If Esther chose to bring her resources and supporters behind Lisa, it would send a powerful signal that winning the district matters more than any one campaign.
I have no problem disclosing that I’m related to Lisa or that I don’t currently vote in CA-40. I’ve been open about that. I’m not sure why you think that’s some sort of “gotcha.”
What’s interesting is that instead of answering the actual question about qualifications, you keep pivoting back to residency technicalities and personal attacks.
So I’ll ask again: what specific qualifications make Esther more prepared to represent CA-40 in Congress than Lisa?
Lisa is an attorney with years of experience advocating for clients, navigating complex legal and government systems, and fighting cases involving ICE and immigration issues. She has deep ties to the region and decades of professional experience.
What is Esther’s equivalent experience that you believe better prepares her for federal office? Specifics would be helpful.
The House of Representatives is the people’s house, it is not the lawyers’ house. 40% of Congress today are lawyers including 3 of the 4 leaders … and look where that’s gotten us. We need more entrepreneurs and more historians. Esther is both. She also is able to raise the funding to run an actual real campaign, unlike any of the other challenger candidates in CA40. No it is not only about money, but reality is that when a candidate cannot raise even $500K after 6 months of trying for a Congressional campaign against well funded Republican incumbents, that means the only role they can play is as a spoiler. Look what happened last cycle when Joe Kerr was outspent 10-to-1 because he could not raise funding (the vast majority of his campaign $ in 24 was self funded).
BTW of Lisa’s remaining $63K of campaign cash as of 3/31/26, nearly half of that was from a new $28K self contribution she made to her campaign, and her % of self funding is actually higher than Esther’s …. Nothing wrong with that except the hypocrisy.
Having an opinion does not require residency in the district or a disclaimer about my family tree. This is a public discussion, not a conflict-of-interest hearing.
And respectfully, linking Esther’s website instead of naming her qualifications yourself kind of proves my point. At the forum, Esther mostly spoke in broad slogans and talking points, and now you’re doing the same. I asked a direct question about what specifically makes her more qualified for Congress than Lisa, and your answer was essentially “she’s an entrepreneur, historian, and can raise money.”
Fundraising is not a governing qualification. Neither is being wealthy enough to self-fund. By that logic, the best candidate is just the richest one.
You also keep dismissing lawyers as though understanding law, immigration policy, federal agencies, and constitutional issues is somehow irrelevant to serving in Congress, which is literally a lawmaking body. Lisa has actual experience navigating those systems professionally and advocating for people affected by them. That is tangible, transferable experience.
If Esther has equivalent policy, legal, legislative, or executive experience that makes her more prepared to legislate at the federal level, feel free to state it plainly instead of sending links and campaign talking points. I’m still waiting to hear what specific governing, policy, legal, legislative, or executive experience Esther has that makes her more prepared for Congress beyond fundraising and branding herself as an entrepreneur.
I think this conversation keeps coming back to fundraising, strategy, and winning, but at some point I genuinely hope you both take a step back and ask a bigger question: what is actually best for CA-40 and for your family long term?
Congress is not just a campaign. It’s years of nonstop travel between California and Washington, public scrutiny, missed family time, and enormous responsibility. Wanting to flip the seat is admirable, but the goal shouldn’t just be “winning.” It should be sending the person who is most prepared to effectively serve on day one.
That’s why many of us believe Lisa is the stronger choice right now. She has decades of legal, advocacy, and professional experience directly tied to federal issues, deep roots in the region, and grown children as she enters this phase of life. She is prepared for this role in a very tangible way.
And honestly, Esther could still play an incredibly important and respected role in flipping this seat. If her true priority is helping Democrats win CA-40 and advancing the issues she cares about, there is a path where she becomes a major force and partner in that effort without needing this moment to be solely about her personally becoming the candidate. Sometimes leadership is also recognizing timing, readiness, and where you can make the biggest impact for the greater good.
So are you Lisa’s sister or cousin or what’s the relation exactly?
Lisa’s campaign has a higher self funding % than Esther’s. So im confused as to your point?
Esther has received over 65,000 small dollar donations averaging $27. That’s the source of the vast majority of her campaign funding: concerned citizens from all over America who invest in Esther to help win a house majority and put checks and balances on the Trump administration. That’s the assignment here!
Whereas in the most recent FEC report almost half of Lisa’s remaining campaign $ came from self funding. So who is trying to “buy” what exactly?
So your proposal is that Esther, the candidate who was actually able to raise campaign funding (from 65,000 small dollar donations), and who is polling at 42% of CA40 Dem voters should concede to Lisa the candidate who has failed to build serious donor support and is polling at 12% of CA40 Dem voters (and who does not even live in the district)?? LOL Make it make sense!
Your wife is nowhere near a person I want representing ME in DC. I'm not alone in saying that. But all you, and Esther, focus on is money which came from being well connected. That doesn't make a good candidate. I've seen her speak twice now and I've seen her ads. She says NOTHING about what she will do for the community or the country. Her commercials show her, not her interacting with the community, just her in her art galleries ??? During her speeches she only talks about how much money she has raised and maybe wanting to change things but with zero substance.
If she is on the ballot in Nov? I'm skipping that vote, ngl. I refuse to vote for someone who is running to pat herself on the back. Stay home, focus on her child, humbly support folks who will be far better representation for everyone.
Hi ! I’m the daughter of North Korean immigrants and janitors - I have worked incredibly hard to get to where I am. And my business is about uplifting some of the most vulnerable voices in our society- artists. If you don’t understand that and don’t hear my stories when I speak of them in public - you’re not listening and letting your own biases get in the way. If you would rather Jill Stein the vote in November and keep Calvert or Kim in power - we will know who to blame for another loss and another 2 years of this BS. Thank you. Door’s always open.
Your door is not open when you are saying the same thing your poorly informed husband is by bringing up Jill Stein as an insult, someone I never voted for, never supported, and even spoke against in my social media when I had it. I voted for Harris every time she was on the ballot.
My non support of you is not a personal attack. It simply is a decision based on 3 candidates and I find 2 are better at getting thru to me as a voter.
I'll be calling your campaign in a moment to deal with the egregious attempt by your husband by posting my personal info to expose my very obviously anonymous account here. Jfc, you two simply do not know how to stop. Zero shame from you. Ugh
Just got done reading your Truth OC article, then came back to read Lisa's. No comparison. Not even close. She speaks to her people. You speak at anyone who may be withing earshot. Lord help us, because we going to end up with Young Kim again.
In contrast, Esther graciously said she would vote for either Democrat candidate should they advance in the top two after the primary. So far, Lisa or Joe have not done so in return. However, I fully support you or any other voter to opt out in November if you should so choose.
I think you are assuming Lisa and Joe are obligated to support whoever has a “D” next to their name, but that’s not necessarily true. Maybe they genuinely believe Esther would not be an effective representative, and they’re being honest about that instead of pretending for party unity.
Personally, if Esther were the only Democrat on the ballot, I’d likely abstain because I care more about competence and credibility than party labels alone. Supporting a candidate just because they’re technically on your side politically isn’t always principled.
And frankly, some Democrats are worried that sending someone unprepared or unserious to Washington hurts the party more than it helps.
Lisa and Joe are absolutely not obligated to vote for Esther. I don't believe Lisa can vote in this election anyway, living outside the district (correct me if I'm wrong that is just what I think is so). Some may not agree, but I believe abstaining from voting for the Democrat will in effect be more support for the Republican, Ken Calvert or Young Kim. I encourage those who thinking about that to check the voting records and FEC filings for those candidates. However, I fully support each voter making their own decision.
I think you might be missing the point. Ken Calvert and Young Kim are terrible options….but so is Esther Kim Varet. It’s a lose/lose situation and I personally cannot vote against my conscience.
Lisa Ramirez has lived, worked, raised her family, and built her career in CA-40 for over two decades. The only reason her home now sits just outside the district is because of recent redistricting changes, not because she ‘moved out.’ When someone has spent 25+ years invested in a community, they may not be able to vote in it, but they are definitely not an outsider based on a line drawn on a map. If we’re going to scrutinize backgrounds, it’s also fair to look at the full picture. Esther Kim Varet only recently relocated from Los Angeles, where she had been living, to run in this district. That’s a very different trajectory than someone who’s spent decades rooted in the community.
I don’t think leadership should be measured solely by money raised, social media reach, or campaign-funded polling that hasn’t been independently released for scrutiny.
Esther has absolutely worked hard, and she’s clearly talented at messaging and building an online following. I respect that. But Congress is not an influencer role. It requires deep policy understanding, coalition building, and the ability to craft legislation that impacts millions of lives.
From what I’ve seen in forums and debates, Lisa Ramirez demonstrates a far stronger command of policy, law, and the actual responsibilities of governing. That matters to me more than viral sound bites or political branding.
And to be clear, suggesting someone step aside for the greater good is not “laughable.” It happens in politics all the time when people genuinely prioritize the country and the district over personal ambition.
If the argument is truly about electing the strongest possible representative for CA-40 and defending democratic values, then qualifications, preparedness, and substance should matter more than campaign theatrics.
Question, why is your address as of May 2026 listed as Los Angeles CA -- according to multiple sources? Attacking your wife's opponent, and supporters, in this way is very trump-esque. This is what people are tired of. If she is the best candidate, her policies and positions should distinguish her as such. Actions speak louder than words - are you able to provide what her platform and objectives are, other than having the most money? Voting for the person with the most money is what got us into the mess we are in.
Exactly. Money does not equal competence on any level. We've seen what using money as a motivator does when it comes to the current administration. The thing is, Joseph and his wife Esther aren't listening. I'm going to keep supporting the folks I think will be effective and useful in Washington and that certainly isn't Esther. She and her husband need to stop taking things so personally and think about the people vs her winning just to win. I sincerely do not think she has thought beyond that. At least I haven't seen any points coming from her that say she is.
I don’t know what “sources “you’re referring to you, but they are wrong. Esther and I have been living in the current CA 40 district for the past year. We have two kids in elementary schools within the district. Is that OK by you?
Should I call you Joseph, or do you prefer Donald of the West? No need to be hostile, simple Google search of yourself returns that you live in LA just reporting a fact. Not sure living in OC for a year gives the insight of the district total district-- I live in RC, why would I read the Register? If I don't know the platform, I'd say it's under communicated. It's your sarcasm and hostility that might just be the undoing of her campaign. Likability, authenticity and charisma have carried candidates a pretty long way if you know your history.
The W magazine article for the LA residence does appear prominently in Google searches (home/art gallery related topic), for one. Yeah, Joseph responded a bit aggressively there. It's one of the personal challenges that has come up repeatedly (not by you). There was another one a while back referencing Esther where AI chatbots proclaimed LA residence, and the chatbot source was a lone blogging site which in turn was quoting a very outdated article somewhere else. Yeah, Coto de Caza residence for the Varets as well as Joe Kerr. I believe Lisa is out of district due to the redistricting. I think Ken Calvert also, not sure about Young Kim.
Your point about Riverside County is well said. Esther has been making an effort to visit there (a couple of times in Lake Elsinore and a recent one in Menifee that I'm aware of). She also has pledged to have at least one townhall monthly, either in person or virtual and has so far. The virtual ones work well for many no matter your locations. If you have any ideas of events in your area which are good, Esther is always open to suggestions of that kind (contact info on her web site is good as sometimes a request inside socials may be missed).
You’re telling me where I live based on what “Google “says and calling me hostile!?
Yeah, we’ve lived here for a year, Esther is not running for mayor she is running for US Congress… it’s not a local office. Again, the only other candidate from any party who has ever lived even one day inside of the CA 40 district is Joe Kerr.
The Register is the same paper as the Riverside Press Enterprise did you not know that? Is this better for you?
Well, I was going to let this go, but you teed it up too well as you continue to get yourself all riled up. From your response, Google is unreliable and a Congressional seat is not a local office. No Joseph, it's not, but there’s no such thing as politics that isn’t local. Congress decides the policies on behalf of families who will experience the results at the kitchen table. A member of Congress represents people, not just Washington. Now, if you are speaking on behalf of your wife, you've provided a heck of a sound-bite. I'd support her if she was running for mayor.
What's better for me? So kind of you to ask. A candidate that is interested in knowing MY experience, a candidate who is not a political hobbyist, a candidate who is not ok with their spouse trolling the internet to try to convince voters that only money wins an election. A candidate that doesn't have a mouthpiece attacking her competition, so she doesn't have to.
Your argument about who lives in the district and who didn't and for how long is pretty flimsy. The better question is, who has created community and been part of their community and sees their role in Congress as representing that community because the recognize that Federal policy shapes local jobs, infrastructure, healthcare, veterans services, disaster relief, and the cost of living. That’s why all politics is still local — people feel policy where they live.
I love how you keep citing Esther’s own campaign funded poll to argue your case. When a campaign pays for a poll, they also control how the results are framed and presented publicly.
Yes, I stated that in my first comment. And your name is Elizabeth Fey aka globelamp aka ocforjustice and you have been relentlessly harassing Esther on every platform for 6 months. Write in Jill Stein on your ballot, see where that gets you.
Esther Varet and her husband prove that they are the poster children for unearned entitlement. "I have money. Vote for me, even though I insult and antagonize voters!"
As much as I hate Kim and Calvert, Varet seems equally bad. She's childish, easy to anger, and entitled.
What is she going to do as a congresswoman when she doesn't like what a constituent says? Block people online? Not answer calls? It's illegal for a sitting congressperson to do that, but that's her MO. She has proven DURING the campaign that she cannot take the heat. She isn't going to listen to us any better than Calvert or Kim has, and she proves that daily.
I am extremely happy to be hitting the pavement and getting the word out about Lisa online. She is by far the BEST candidate in this race. Will it be hard to win? Yes. But it is worth standing by a candidate with integrity, who isn't afraid of voters' questions or critiques.
Her experience as an attorney is what we need in this district, especially when it comes to standing up to the Trump administration and the unlawful hijinks they are up to in DHS.
If you haven't voted already, please seriously consider Lisa Ramirez for Congress. https://lisaramirez.com/
CA40 has a large republican and independent constituent base. The polls are showing that Lisa’s campaign doesn’t resonate with the votes needed. The only chance we have to flip this district is to vote for Esther.
I love how the Esther’s camp keeps citing its own campaign funded poll to argue their case. When a campaign pays for a poll, they also control how the results are framed and presented publicly.
Respectfully, Janessa aka Lisa’s sister - you have been harassing me for a while now on my socials, and I’m finally speaking up because I’m sick and tired of getting pummeled by the Lisa trolls and lies she puts out there (like I didn’t vote?! I’m aipac funded ?) just to catch up to reality. I’m speaking up bc this is an emergency anti-Trump mission and we need facts and data.
Polls are an incredibly useful tool. Especially a Ben Tulchin poll who is known to be the most accurate pollster in California - and amongst the top in America. It’s more factual and scientific than vibes and wishes. Polls show that immigration, unfortunately, polls very low in this Independent and Republican leaning middle class district. It’s at 6% - exactly where Lisa is in the polls at 6% — just like Villagrosa in the Governor’s race. Tulchin has a reputation to uphold so he and the New York Times wouldn’t publish a bogus poll. If Lisa had used her fundraising wisely instead of paying herself a salary and rent from her campaign every month to the tune of $10k, she too could have polled to find out how best to message to the new CA40. Again, respectfully. We are on the same team. Thank you. Door is always open.
Respectfully, Esther, disagreeing with your candidacy and questioning readiness for Congress is not “harassment.” This is a public congressional race and voters are allowed to scrutinize candidates, messaging, polling, finances, and qualifications.
I also never said polls are useless. Polling absolutely matters. But polls are snapshots, not destiny, and they are only one factor voters consider when choosing who should represent them in Washington.
My concern has consistently been less about “vibes” and more about preparedness for the realities of Congress itself. Raising money and polling well are campaign skills. Governing effectively is something different.
And to be clear, I do not think you are a bad person or incapable. I simply believe Lisa’s decades of legal, advocacy, and professional experience make her more prepared right now for the demands of federal office. That is a fair opinion for someone to hold.
You say we are on the same team, and I appreciate that sentiment. I genuinely believe Democrats have a stronger chance long term when experienced, capable women support one another strategically instead of turning this into a personal war. My comments have always been about who I believe is best prepared to represent CA-40 effectively, not about tearing you down personally. My door remains open as well.
Hi Jeff. Setting aside the pros and cons of each candidate, the reality is that a vote for Lisa or Joe is a vote to keep CA40 red, which is a vote for Trump.
I know you don’t want that and I know that none of your readers do. Wishcasting won’t get a Dem in the CA40 general election — it’s very similar in dynamic to the CA Gov race, and can only be accomplished by consolidating the Dem vote. Like it or not, there is no mathematical possibility that consolidating behind Lisa could succeed at this point.
Esther’s campaign commissioned a poll sampled last weekend by Tulchin Research (regardless of being paid for by Esther’s campaign (which is what real campaigns that have actual funding are supposed to do!, Tulchin is a highly respected high integrity pollster, he is the pollster for Bernie, Dave Min, Fiona Ma, etc, so there is no reason for us or anyone to doubt their findings).
Please review it and consider the math, which shows clearly that only voting for Esther can block a GOP box out in CA40:
After last week’s VA ruling, we cannot afford to play games here or make this a popularity contest. CA40 has a responsibility to the nation to unite and prevent a Calvert vs Young Kim general election — which is exactly what Trump wants, he loves to see them groveling and fighting for who is the biggest Trump bootlicker.
Good news is that Esther is in a statistical tie to place in the general election, so placing in the primary top 2 is within reach! Bad news is that Lisa and Joe can only act as spoilers here, and many/most CA40 voters are not aware of the dynamics and implications. It’s no longer a question of who is the preferable candidate, this is just the cold reality, with only 3 weeks left to go.
And — please give your readers the opportunity to also hear directly from Esther and from Joe this week on your platform in the same format. Happy to also arrange a 1 on 1 interview for you with Ben Tulchin.
With you in the fight against neo-fascism, Joseph (husband of Esther)
Perhaps your wife should not say things like, "I don't want your vote," when she is asked questions that challenge her. Now, she is is getting her wish.
I have been following this race since 2025, and I supported Esther at one point, even contributing to her campaign. Then she proceeded to troll voters instead of sincerely answering their questions. At that point, I knew both Gagnier and Ramirez were better choices, but Esther had the most money, so I reserved judgment. However, recently, it became clear that Lisa is by far the BEST choice. Esther actually said at a townhall that "I am not sure the US should support South Korea if attacked by North Korea," which shows an appalling lack of foreign policy knowledge. Her main line of persuasion is "I have the most" money. That's not super compelling for most people (just look at how Tom Steyer is doing).
Recently, she proceeded to attack Xavier Becerra online after begging him for an endorsement. She also attached me personally on threads and blocked me in Instagram two weeks ago (as she has done with many others), while simultaneously asking for non-supporters to get behind her for the sake of the party.
Her whole campaign has just shown voters than while she has money, she is a ball of utter chaos and lacks the knowledge to do this very hard, serious job. On top of that, she is totally comfortable attacking voters she needs to win. Hard pass.
Wow, you are proving my point. You probably should have let that go, but you couldn't. Like your wife, you can't help trolling people you need to vote for you. This shows what kind of people you BOTH are.
I grew up here in Mission Viejo on Lindley street. I attended Los Aliso Jr. high and Mission Viejo High School. I then went on to UC Berkeley and UCSD and worked for USAID for many years before moving back to Mission Viejo to care for aging parents. This is MY community and I will stand up for what is right.
You think you can troll your way to congress, then fine. I wish Esther luck with that.
And your wife should not accuse a potential constituent who has lived in the district and been a grassroots volunteer for many election cycles (me) of “spewing lies” on her donation ads, then fail to enlighten me on the lies so I could stop spreading them. I dismiss any poll paid for by a candidate and sampling 500 people is not a large enough group IMHO. I don’t trust a candidate who spends thousands of dollars on a frivolous lawsuit against her most formidable opponent- Joe Kerr. At least this poll included him! We don’t need an influencer, we need someone who represents working people. Lisa is a great candidate, but voting for your valentine is too risky this time around. Joe has the unions and name recognition. He’s the most likely Democrat to flip this seat. It’s a safe red district now, but hopefully the national trend will prevail in CA40!! I hope all of the candidates come together after the primary to flip this seat. 🌊👏
Joe had union endorsements last election, too but lost by a significant margin to Young Kim. It's hard for me to see given his same strategy how this time the results would be any different. Also, I know many don't like to bring up cash, but as of the closing of the first quarter filings, his campaign was negative balance (cash on hand vs. obligations). Not sure why with so many union endorsements that his donation stream isn't flooded with small dollar donations by the members. I am aware that they contribute in other ways (canvassing is one possibility). His stated strategy has been to get more Democrats to vote.
He beat the school board, teacher’s union backed Democrat in the primary. He narrowed the gap from 2022 in the general election with no money and no support - people did not want to “waste their time and resources” on the race because they said it was impossible to win. He needed about 17K more votes and almost 50K registered democrats did not vote in CA40. If the nation wide trend continues, there will be higher voter turnout in the midterms. I’m hoping the “Quien es mas MAGA?” approach will backfire on the Republicans, but it’s going to be awful if that is all we have to choose from on our November ballot.
Could you share where you got that number "needed about 17K more votes"? Are you referring to the 2024 general election, or something else?
I'm just checking Ballotpedia which isn't the official source of course, but the numbers there for 2024 are:
YK: 211,998
JK: 171,637
Difference: 40,361
Also, as far as campaign funding "no money" and beating the Democrat challenger Allyson Damikolas in the primary in 2024, during that time Joe was using i77Strategies ($1.4M source FEC receipts), a firm generally used by Republicans, and the campaign printed some mailer charging her with questionable investments, among other claims. The finances in question were just some stocks that are part of a mutual fund. Also, some quote was taken out of context concerning "chemtrails" conspiracy (her being a Chemical Engineer giving a talk). The campaign strategy worked, though and he won the primary.
Joe has never explained his relationship with i77 this time around (of course he is not required to do so), but there is evidence of a termination payment (FEC receipt) so he might not have used them for the 2026 campaign.
Just not sure we are talking about the same 2024 race here, as the numbers and comments don't match.
It's the number of votes in 2024 needed to get 50% plus one more ballot, not the difference between their vote totals. Maybe I'm doing the math wrong? Bottom line is there were 49K registered democrats not voting down ballot and we could've flipped the seat if they had.
Thank you for elevating Ms Ramirez’ visibility! She doesn’t have the cash her opponents have and thus we need those with large audiences to help make her message and outstanding qualifications more widely known.
This is a response to Lisa and her sister Janesa - I do not have anything personal against you guys. But this “she doesn’t have any achievements” assertion is simply not grounded in reality.
Not sure how much you know about me - but I’m part of a generation that thinks regional lawyers going to Congress are useful agents of real change. Did you see the NY Times article recently how no one wants a lawyer in Congress anymore ? That’s how we got into this mess.
We want builders and visionaries to lead. Before talking about entitlement - first of all, I’m the daughter of immigrants. I have worked my ass off all my life. I was that Korean-American valedictorian that you knew in school. I embody the American Dream - and I know some people like you hate that it happened to a person that looks like me. But I’ve always used my efforts to fight for a better world. Read the NY Times profile on me last year and the kind of businesses I built supporting voices that have been long overlooked.
Look into my non-profit board work on food inequality, climate, woman’s right to protect her body. I don’t think Lisa has anything or that sort. That’s why all the national orgs in this arena have endorsed me already. Just look into it. I’ve worked with some of these orgs for a decade, long before running.
Research shows that Lisa’s adherence to Democratic values is shallow - and mostly memorized and rehearsed for this run. No non-profit work except helping other lawyers - and her Catholic Church. What about pro-choice ? Pro-trans and LGBTQ advocacy ? The environment ? She fails on all of this.
Lisa - according to public FEC reports -
Has been using $1500/month for a paid internet troll to spread lies about me and my family. Her name is Brianna Walker aka @inminivanhell — and she was also similarly hired by Rep Dave Min’s opposition to do the same to him.
We are both Korean-American and Brianna Walker has constantly race baited on social media - paid by Lisa Ramirez’s campaign to do so.
Lisa does not run a clean campaign. I do. All the FEC reports are public. Everyone should see it bc it’s where the true story is on a candidate.
She says on her own website that she has wanted to be president since she was a child. That kind of hunger for power isn’t what we are looking for.
And I’m leading because people understand ultimately - moral clarity and quality decades in the making cannot be deterred so easily. And I’m always engaging folks. That’s my MO. I’m accessible. I just block folks seriously that give me creepy antisemitic vibes.
And bc I’m not an elected and don’t have the same protections - I have every right to block people that weird me out. I have momma bear instincts for my Jewish kids. Thank you. Again, door’s always open to do the right thing and help the majority of us — my real grassroots movement of over 5,000
Volunteers and donors IN THIS district fight Trump.
And I think it’s quite out-of-touch for Lisa to compare herself to Mamdani or AOC. Both of them have always had robust grassroots fundraising operations like mine - which has culled over 65,000 donations with an average donation of $27. Facts matter.
The only thing Lisa has in common with them are her low poll numbers — which both young politicians overcame with charisma and a robust fundraising operation. Lisa is neither young nor charismatic online or in person with younger folks. Sorry to be harsh.
In fact, objectively, Lisa is closest to Villagrosa in the Governor’s race. They are both polling at 6% and trending downwards according to polls.
At this point, I am asking our community to focus on our target of retiring the two MAGA incumbents. After what happened with the redistricting wars last week, we can’t afford to deviate from the mission. Love me or hate me - but we are all on the same team.
Unless you are a Jill Steiner. That I don’t have time for. None of us do.
Esther, this is exactly why many people are growing uncomfortable with your campaign.
Instead of simply making the case for yourself, you repeatedly jump to extreme accusations, assumptions about motives, and conspiracy-style narratives about anyone who disagrees with you. Suggesting critics “hate” your success because of your ethnicity, implying coordinated trolling operations, and labeling people antisemitic or racist based on disagreement is not what a “clean campaign” looks like.
You are absolutely entitled to run for Congress and advocate for your qualifications. Others are equally entitled to question them without being smeared personally. That is part of public life.
At this point, I think everything that needs to be said has been said. Lisa is focused on meeting voters and running her campaign, not spending hours fighting in comment sections so don't hold your breath waiting for a reply from her.
And candidly, if Lisa is truly as “unviable” and irrelevant as you and your husband keep insisting, it’s hard to understand why you both spend so much time and energy directed toward attacking her and her supporters online.
I genuinely wish you and your family well, but I’m stepping away from this back and forth now. Voters can evaluate the candidates for themselves.
She's raised functionally no money, she hasn't done any voter contact hardly at all, and is drawing votes away threatening a lockout. She needs to drop out and endorse Esther. The numbers don't support her viability, so staying in is just ego.
I've met Lisa several times, same with Joe. I've met Esther once when she interrupted a conversation my table mates and I were deeply into to awkwardly drop a flyer and say something that none of us understood what it had to do with. At the event I was at, all she did was talk about how much money she's raised & said nothing regarding issues the US is facing. It was, quite frankly, embarrassing.
You've literal missed the entire point of what Lisa has said that Jeff posted. Read it again and stop foolishly supporting someone who has no business pretending she will be anywhere near what people need as a representative in DC.
Not sure which event? If it was one of the private event Democrat club townhalls, each candidate answered questions that the committee came up with ahead of time and did not share with the candidates until asked by the moderator. And in one of the forums there was a few minutes where a couple of questions were asked via a live microphone from the audience. Esther's answers to the questions were not all talking about fund raising. Perhaps you are talking about a different event. When you mentioned tables, I was aware that at one of those events there were tables in the back representing subgroups from different cities, and folding chairs in the front for the general population. Looks like Esther misread the situation by interrupting your group there. It was pretty common for the candidates to stop by those tables and mingle with the people.
It was the Canyon Democrats and, no matter what, all she did was show everyone in the audience how out of touch she is with the actual issues by starting off with her "I have tons of money!" spiel. She literally shut everyone down in wanting to listen to her after that point. It didn't help when she did the whole, "WHO'S TIRED OF LOSING!?" weirdness and when no one responded, she did it *again*.
I was at a table outside enjoying the hot dog social with my own campaign team (I'm running for local office) and all 3 came by the table- Joe & Lisa politely waited for a second when my team and I weren't talking before they said hello. They both know me, though, so that may be a factor. Either way, Esther didn't wait, she barged in and left us all speechless. I think I'm pretty obvious in how much I dislike Esther's campaign "strategy". I'm sure she's a lovely person, she's just not a good candidate, IMO. And I'm not alone in thinking that.
My philosophy is to serve with kindness as much as I'm able to. I don't know her personally. I've seen how she reacts to others and don't agree with that line of communicating, that's for sure. When my children were in grade school, I was a single mom going thru a lot having just come out of a DV marriage and trying to make things happen on my own. I know this isn't the situation Esther is in, but I try to give young mothers some grace because I wasn't my best during those years.
I also had zero ambition to do anything other than raise my children in as stable an environment as I could muster and running for public office was the last thing on my mind- and I was asked to do just that. I said NOPE. My girls were my 100% priority when they were in grade school.
I read the article. This is a super PAC Independent Expenditure discussion. By law, a candidate may not control (approve or deny) IE’s spent by a super PAC in support of them or opposing their opposition candidates. So, your statement is true in the sense that super PAC’s spent money on IE’s. He didn’t receive any donations via that mechanism, though. Super PAC’s are heavily involved in CA40 at this time WRT Ken Calvert (opposition IE’s for media buys against Young Kim).
If you set aside money and policy positions for a second and just look at their backgrounds, I think they each bring very different kinds of experience.
Esther’s experience is much more tied to entrepreneurship, leadership, and community-facing work. People who support her would probably argue that matters because building and running organizations takes management, communication skills, and the ability to solve problems outside of government.
Lisa’s experience is much more tied to immigration law and advocacy work. Her supporters would probably point to the fact that she’s worked directly with clients and dealt with complicated federal systems firsthand, especially on issues that impact people’s daily lives.
There are also some obvious similarities between them. They’re both mothers (happy belated Mother's Day to both should they read this), both come from immigrant family backgrounds, and both present themselves as advocates for middle-class and working families.
At the end of the day, most voters are probably looking at a mix of things beyond background alone, including some topics other people in this thread are already discussing.
Thank you for lifting up our pursuit of activism, community building and keeping it up! We the People can do this. No time to put your head in the sand! Let’s stay fired up & lean on each other for support‼️💪💕🤗
Wow! I wish I lived in Orange County and could vote for her! Rock on, Lisa! And you Orange County Dems and thinking Republicans, take a good look at this woman!
Thank you for posting this and for confirming my belief that Lisa Ramirez is the best candidate for CA-40.
If the priority is flipping CA-40, then strategy matters. Esther Kim Varet has the resources to make a real difference in this race. The strongest move now would be for Esther to unify with Lisa Ramirez and put those resources to work where they have the best chance of actually flipping the seat.
After the candidate forums, one thing feels clear: if Democrats are serious about flipping CA-40, we need to be equally serious about unity and viability. Esther Kim Varet has built a well-funded campaign and clearly cares about this race. Lisa Ramirez has demonstrated the depth, preparation, and connection to the district needed to win it.
At some point, leadership means stepping back and looking at the bigger picture. Consolidating support behind the strongest candidate is often how seats like this are actually flipped. If Esther chose to bring her resources and supporters behind Lisa, it would send a powerful signal that winning the district matters more than any one campaign.
Janesa, how about disclose that you are Lisa’s relative (sister?) and like Lisa you do not live or vote in CA40?
I have no problem disclosing that I’m related to Lisa or that I don’t currently vote in CA-40. I’ve been open about that. I’m not sure why you think that’s some sort of “gotcha.”
What’s interesting is that instead of answering the actual question about qualifications, you keep pivoting back to residency technicalities and personal attacks.
So I’ll ask again: what specific qualifications make Esther more prepared to represent CA-40 in Congress than Lisa?
Lisa is an attorney with years of experience advocating for clients, navigating complex legal and government systems, and fighting cases involving ICE and immigration issues. She has deep ties to the region and decades of professional experience.
What is Esther’s equivalent experience that you believe better prepares her for federal office? Specifics would be helpful.
You did not disclose that until I called you out though —
As for Esther’s qualifications, read all about it:
www.estherforcongress.org/about
https://www.pressenterprise.com/2026/05/05/esther-kim-varet-ca-40-candidate-2026-primary-election-questionnaire/
https://www.ocregister.com/2026/05/05/esther-kim-varet-ca-40-candidate-2026-primary-election-questionnaire/
The House of Representatives is the people’s house, it is not the lawyers’ house. 40% of Congress today are lawyers including 3 of the 4 leaders … and look where that’s gotten us. We need more entrepreneurs and more historians. Esther is both. She also is able to raise the funding to run an actual real campaign, unlike any of the other challenger candidates in CA40. No it is not only about money, but reality is that when a candidate cannot raise even $500K after 6 months of trying for a Congressional campaign against well funded Republican incumbents, that means the only role they can play is as a spoiler. Look what happened last cycle when Joe Kerr was outspent 10-to-1 because he could not raise funding (the vast majority of his campaign $ in 24 was self funded).
BTW of Lisa’s remaining $63K of campaign cash as of 3/31/26, nearly half of that was from a new $28K self contribution she made to her campaign, and her % of self funding is actually higher than Esther’s …. Nothing wrong with that except the hypocrisy.
Having an opinion does not require residency in the district or a disclaimer about my family tree. This is a public discussion, not a conflict-of-interest hearing.
And respectfully, linking Esther’s website instead of naming her qualifications yourself kind of proves my point. At the forum, Esther mostly spoke in broad slogans and talking points, and now you’re doing the same. I asked a direct question about what specifically makes her more qualified for Congress than Lisa, and your answer was essentially “she’s an entrepreneur, historian, and can raise money.”
Fundraising is not a governing qualification. Neither is being wealthy enough to self-fund. By that logic, the best candidate is just the richest one.
You also keep dismissing lawyers as though understanding law, immigration policy, federal agencies, and constitutional issues is somehow irrelevant to serving in Congress, which is literally a lawmaking body. Lisa has actual experience navigating those systems professionally and advocating for people affected by them. That is tangible, transferable experience.
If Esther has equivalent policy, legal, legislative, or executive experience that makes her more prepared to legislate at the federal level, feel free to state it plainly instead of sending links and campaign talking points. I’m still waiting to hear what specific governing, policy, legal, legislative, or executive experience Esther has that makes her more prepared for Congress beyond fundraising and branding herself as an entrepreneur.
I think this conversation keeps coming back to fundraising, strategy, and winning, but at some point I genuinely hope you both take a step back and ask a bigger question: what is actually best for CA-40 and for your family long term?
Congress is not just a campaign. It’s years of nonstop travel between California and Washington, public scrutiny, missed family time, and enormous responsibility. Wanting to flip the seat is admirable, but the goal shouldn’t just be “winning.” It should be sending the person who is most prepared to effectively serve on day one.
That’s why many of us believe Lisa is the stronger choice right now. She has decades of legal, advocacy, and professional experience directly tied to federal issues, deep roots in the region, and grown children as she enters this phase of life. She is prepared for this role in a very tangible way.
And honestly, Esther could still play an incredibly important and respected role in flipping this seat. If her true priority is helping Democrats win CA-40 and advancing the issues she cares about, there is a path where she becomes a major force and partner in that effort without needing this moment to be solely about her personally becoming the candidate. Sometimes leadership is also recognizing timing, readiness, and where you can make the biggest impact for the greater good.
So are you Lisa’s sister or cousin or what’s the relation exactly?
Lisa’s campaign has a higher self funding % than Esther’s. So im confused as to your point?
Esther has received over 65,000 small dollar donations averaging $27. That’s the source of the vast majority of her campaign funding: concerned citizens from all over America who invest in Esther to help win a house majority and put checks and balances on the Trump administration. That’s the assignment here!
Whereas in the most recent FEC report almost half of Lisa’s remaining campaign $ came from self funding. So who is trying to “buy” what exactly?
So your proposal is that Esther, the candidate who was actually able to raise campaign funding (from 65,000 small dollar donations), and who is polling at 42% of CA40 Dem voters should concede to Lisa the candidate who has failed to build serious donor support and is polling at 12% of CA40 Dem voters (and who does not even live in the district)?? LOL Make it make sense!
Did you even read the new poll?: drive.google.com/file/d/1JwvENCs_0Xz4Z4fcsosNLkAayMGaXVoX/view
You're too close to the campaign to be objective.
Your wife is nowhere near a person I want representing ME in DC. I'm not alone in saying that. But all you, and Esther, focus on is money which came from being well connected. That doesn't make a good candidate. I've seen her speak twice now and I've seen her ads. She says NOTHING about what she will do for the community or the country. Her commercials show her, not her interacting with the community, just her in her art galleries ??? During her speeches she only talks about how much money she has raised and maybe wanting to change things but with zero substance.
If she is on the ballot in Nov? I'm skipping that vote, ngl. I refuse to vote for someone who is running to pat herself on the back. Stay home, focus on her child, humbly support folks who will be far better representation for everyone.
Hi ! I’m the daughter of North Korean immigrants and janitors - I have worked incredibly hard to get to where I am. And my business is about uplifting some of the most vulnerable voices in our society- artists. If you don’t understand that and don’t hear my stories when I speak of them in public - you’re not listening and letting your own biases get in the way. If you would rather Jill Stein the vote in November and keep Calvert or Kim in power - we will know who to blame for another loss and another 2 years of this BS. Thank you. Door’s always open.
Your door is not open when you are saying the same thing your poorly informed husband is by bringing up Jill Stein as an insult, someone I never voted for, never supported, and even spoke against in my social media when I had it. I voted for Harris every time she was on the ballot.
My non support of you is not a personal attack. It simply is a decision based on 3 candidates and I find 2 are better at getting thru to me as a voter.
I'll be calling your campaign in a moment to deal with the egregious attempt by your husband by posting my personal info to expose my very obviously anonymous account here. Jfc, you two simply do not know how to stop. Zero shame from you. Ugh
Just got done reading your Truth OC article, then came back to read Lisa's. No comparison. Not even close. She speaks to her people. You speak at anyone who may be withing earshot. Lord help us, because we going to end up with Young Kim again.
In contrast, Esther graciously said she would vote for either Democrat candidate should they advance in the top two after the primary. So far, Lisa or Joe have not done so in return. However, I fully support you or any other voter to opt out in November if you should so choose.
I think you are assuming Lisa and Joe are obligated to support whoever has a “D” next to their name, but that’s not necessarily true. Maybe they genuinely believe Esther would not be an effective representative, and they’re being honest about that instead of pretending for party unity.
Personally, if Esther were the only Democrat on the ballot, I’d likely abstain because I care more about competence and credibility than party labels alone. Supporting a candidate just because they’re technically on your side politically isn’t always principled.
And frankly, some Democrats are worried that sending someone unprepared or unserious to Washington hurts the party more than it helps.
Lisa and Joe are absolutely not obligated to vote for Esther. I don't believe Lisa can vote in this election anyway, living outside the district (correct me if I'm wrong that is just what I think is so). Some may not agree, but I believe abstaining from voting for the Democrat will in effect be more support for the Republican, Ken Calvert or Young Kim. I encourage those who thinking about that to check the voting records and FEC filings for those candidates. However, I fully support each voter making their own decision.
I think you might be missing the point. Ken Calvert and Young Kim are terrible options….but so is Esther Kim Varet. It’s a lose/lose situation and I personally cannot vote against my conscience.
Lisa Ramirez has lived, worked, raised her family, and built her career in CA-40 for over two decades. The only reason her home now sits just outside the district is because of recent redistricting changes, not because she ‘moved out.’ When someone has spent 25+ years invested in a community, they may not be able to vote in it, but they are definitely not an outsider based on a line drawn on a map. If we’re going to scrutinize backgrounds, it’s also fair to look at the full picture. Esther Kim Varet only recently relocated from Los Angeles, where she had been living, to run in this district. That’s a very different trajectory than someone who’s spent decades rooted in the community.
I don’t think leadership should be measured solely by money raised, social media reach, or campaign-funded polling that hasn’t been independently released for scrutiny.
Esther has absolutely worked hard, and she’s clearly talented at messaging and building an online following. I respect that. But Congress is not an influencer role. It requires deep policy understanding, coalition building, and the ability to craft legislation that impacts millions of lives.
From what I’ve seen in forums and debates, Lisa Ramirez demonstrates a far stronger command of policy, law, and the actual responsibilities of governing. That matters to me more than viral sound bites or political branding.
And to be clear, suggesting someone step aside for the greater good is not “laughable.” It happens in politics all the time when people genuinely prioritize the country and the district over personal ambition.
If the argument is truly about electing the strongest possible representative for CA-40 and defending democratic values, then qualifications, preparedness, and substance should matter more than campaign theatrics.
Question, why is your address as of May 2026 listed as Los Angeles CA -- according to multiple sources? Attacking your wife's opponent, and supporters, in this way is very trump-esque. This is what people are tired of. If she is the best candidate, her policies and positions should distinguish her as such. Actions speak louder than words - are you able to provide what her platform and objectives are, other than having the most money? Voting for the person with the most money is what got us into the mess we are in.
Exactly. Money does not equal competence on any level. We've seen what using money as a motivator does when it comes to the current administration. The thing is, Joseph and his wife Esther aren't listening. I'm going to keep supporting the folks I think will be effective and useful in Washington and that certainly isn't Esther. She and her husband need to stop taking things so personally and think about the people vs her winning just to win. I sincerely do not think she has thought beyond that. At least I haven't seen any points coming from her that say she is.
I don’t know what “sources “you’re referring to you, but they are wrong. Esther and I have been living in the current CA 40 district for the past year. We have two kids in elementary schools within the district. Is that OK by you?
As for policies and platform, glad you asked:
https://www.estherkimvaret.com/priorities
https://www.ocregister.com/2026/05/05/esther-kim-varet-ca-40-candidate-2026-primary-election-questionnaire/
Should I call you Joseph, or do you prefer Donald of the West? No need to be hostile, simple Google search of yourself returns that you live in LA just reporting a fact. Not sure living in OC for a year gives the insight of the district total district-- I live in RC, why would I read the Register? If I don't know the platform, I'd say it's under communicated. It's your sarcasm and hostility that might just be the undoing of her campaign. Likability, authenticity and charisma have carried candidates a pretty long way if you know your history.
The W magazine article for the LA residence does appear prominently in Google searches (home/art gallery related topic), for one. Yeah, Joseph responded a bit aggressively there. It's one of the personal challenges that has come up repeatedly (not by you). There was another one a while back referencing Esther where AI chatbots proclaimed LA residence, and the chatbot source was a lone blogging site which in turn was quoting a very outdated article somewhere else. Yeah, Coto de Caza residence for the Varets as well as Joe Kerr. I believe Lisa is out of district due to the redistricting. I think Ken Calvert also, not sure about Young Kim.
Your point about Riverside County is well said. Esther has been making an effort to visit there (a couple of times in Lake Elsinore and a recent one in Menifee that I'm aware of). She also has pledged to have at least one townhall monthly, either in person or virtual and has so far. The virtual ones work well for many no matter your locations. If you have any ideas of events in your area which are good, Esther is always open to suggestions of that kind (contact info on her web site is good as sometimes a request inside socials may be missed).
You’re telling me where I live based on what “Google “says and calling me hostile!?
Yeah, we’ve lived here for a year, Esther is not running for mayor she is running for US Congress… it’s not a local office. Again, the only other candidate from any party who has ever lived even one day inside of the CA 40 district is Joe Kerr.
The Register is the same paper as the Riverside Press Enterprise did you not know that? Is this better for you?
https://www.pressenterprise.com/2026/05/05/esther-kim-varet-ca-40-candidate-2026-primary-election-questionnaire/
Well, I was going to let this go, but you teed it up too well as you continue to get yourself all riled up. From your response, Google is unreliable and a Congressional seat is not a local office. No Joseph, it's not, but there’s no such thing as politics that isn’t local. Congress decides the policies on behalf of families who will experience the results at the kitchen table. A member of Congress represents people, not just Washington. Now, if you are speaking on behalf of your wife, you've provided a heck of a sound-bite. I'd support her if she was running for mayor.
What's better for me? So kind of you to ask. A candidate that is interested in knowing MY experience, a candidate who is not a political hobbyist, a candidate who is not ok with their spouse trolling the internet to try to convince voters that only money wins an election. A candidate that doesn't have a mouthpiece attacking her competition, so she doesn't have to.
Your argument about who lives in the district and who didn't and for how long is pretty flimsy. The better question is, who has created community and been part of their community and sees their role in Congress as representing that community because the recognize that Federal policy shapes local jobs, infrastructure, healthcare, veterans services, disaster relief, and the cost of living. That’s why all politics is still local — people feel policy where they live.
I love how you keep citing Esther’s own campaign funded poll to argue your case. When a campaign pays for a poll, they also control how the results are framed and presented publicly.
Just no that’s not how it works
Great argument. Glad you cleared that up 🤣
We all hate Esther and your aunt is in the Epstein files. Nina Rosenwald. Joseph your mom did insider trading for Ametek too
That is completely false
You are her husband and are the heir of Sears fortune
Yes, I stated that in my first comment. And your name is Elizabeth Fey aka globelamp aka ocforjustice and you have been relentlessly harassing Esther on every platform for 6 months. Write in Jill Stein on your ballot, see where that gets you.
Esther Varet and her husband prove that they are the poster children for unearned entitlement. "I have money. Vote for me, even though I insult and antagonize voters!"
As much as I hate Kim and Calvert, Varet seems equally bad. She's childish, easy to anger, and entitled.
What is she going to do as a congresswoman when she doesn't like what a constituent says? Block people online? Not answer calls? It's illegal for a sitting congressperson to do that, but that's her MO. She has proven DURING the campaign that she cannot take the heat. She isn't going to listen to us any better than Calvert or Kim has, and she proves that daily.
I am extremely happy to be hitting the pavement and getting the word out about Lisa online. She is by far the BEST candidate in this race. Will it be hard to win? Yes. But it is worth standing by a candidate with integrity, who isn't afraid of voters' questions or critiques.
Her experience as an attorney is what we need in this district, especially when it comes to standing up to the Trump administration and the unlawful hijinks they are up to in DHS.
If you haven't voted already, please seriously consider Lisa Ramirez for Congress. https://lisaramirez.com/
CA40 has a large republican and independent constituent base. The polls are showing that Lisa’s campaign doesn’t resonate with the votes needed. The only chance we have to flip this district is to vote for Esther.
I love how the Esther’s camp keeps citing its own campaign funded poll to argue their case. When a campaign pays for a poll, they also control how the results are framed and presented publicly.
Respectfully, Janessa aka Lisa’s sister - you have been harassing me for a while now on my socials, and I’m finally speaking up because I’m sick and tired of getting pummeled by the Lisa trolls and lies she puts out there (like I didn’t vote?! I’m aipac funded ?) just to catch up to reality. I’m speaking up bc this is an emergency anti-Trump mission and we need facts and data.
Polls are an incredibly useful tool. Especially a Ben Tulchin poll who is known to be the most accurate pollster in California - and amongst the top in America. It’s more factual and scientific than vibes and wishes. Polls show that immigration, unfortunately, polls very low in this Independent and Republican leaning middle class district. It’s at 6% - exactly where Lisa is in the polls at 6% — just like Villagrosa in the Governor’s race. Tulchin has a reputation to uphold so he and the New York Times wouldn’t publish a bogus poll. If Lisa had used her fundraising wisely instead of paying herself a salary and rent from her campaign every month to the tune of $10k, she too could have polled to find out how best to message to the new CA40. Again, respectfully. We are on the same team. Thank you. Door is always open.
Respectfully, Esther, disagreeing with your candidacy and questioning readiness for Congress is not “harassment.” This is a public congressional race and voters are allowed to scrutinize candidates, messaging, polling, finances, and qualifications.
I also never said polls are useless. Polling absolutely matters. But polls are snapshots, not destiny, and they are only one factor voters consider when choosing who should represent them in Washington.
My concern has consistently been less about “vibes” and more about preparedness for the realities of Congress itself. Raising money and polling well are campaign skills. Governing effectively is something different.
And to be clear, I do not think you are a bad person or incapable. I simply believe Lisa’s decades of legal, advocacy, and professional experience make her more prepared right now for the demands of federal office. That is a fair opinion for someone to hold.
You say we are on the same team, and I appreciate that sentiment. I genuinely believe Democrats have a stronger chance long term when experienced, capable women support one another strategically instead of turning this into a personal war. My comments have always been about who I believe is best prepared to represent CA-40 effectively, not about tearing you down personally. My door remains open as well.
And it’s from January 😂
I agreed with everything except replace Esther with Joe Kerr!
Hi Jeff. Setting aside the pros and cons of each candidate, the reality is that a vote for Lisa or Joe is a vote to keep CA40 red, which is a vote for Trump.
I know you don’t want that and I know that none of your readers do. Wishcasting won’t get a Dem in the CA40 general election — it’s very similar in dynamic to the CA Gov race, and can only be accomplished by consolidating the Dem vote. Like it or not, there is no mathematical possibility that consolidating behind Lisa could succeed at this point.
Esther’s campaign commissioned a poll sampled last weekend by Tulchin Research (regardless of being paid for by Esther’s campaign (which is what real campaigns that have actual funding are supposed to do!, Tulchin is a highly respected high integrity pollster, he is the pollster for Bernie, Dave Min, Fiona Ma, etc, so there is no reason for us or anyone to doubt their findings).
Please review it and consider the math, which shows clearly that only voting for Esther can block a GOP box out in CA40:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JwvENCs_0Xz4Z4fcsosNLkAayMGaXVoX/view?usp=sharing
After last week’s VA ruling, we cannot afford to play games here or make this a popularity contest. CA40 has a responsibility to the nation to unite and prevent a Calvert vs Young Kim general election — which is exactly what Trump wants, he loves to see them groveling and fighting for who is the biggest Trump bootlicker.
Good news is that Esther is in a statistical tie to place in the general election, so placing in the primary top 2 is within reach! Bad news is that Lisa and Joe can only act as spoilers here, and many/most CA40 voters are not aware of the dynamics and implications. It’s no longer a question of who is the preferable candidate, this is just the cold reality, with only 3 weeks left to go.
And — please give your readers the opportunity to also hear directly from Esther and from Joe this week on your platform in the same format. Happy to also arrange a 1 on 1 interview for you with Ben Tulchin.
With you in the fight against neo-fascism, Joseph (husband of Esther)
Perhaps your wife should not say things like, "I don't want your vote," when she is asked questions that challenge her. Now, she is is getting her wish.
I have been following this race since 2025, and I supported Esther at one point, even contributing to her campaign. Then she proceeded to troll voters instead of sincerely answering their questions. At that point, I knew both Gagnier and Ramirez were better choices, but Esther had the most money, so I reserved judgment. However, recently, it became clear that Lisa is by far the BEST choice. Esther actually said at a townhall that "I am not sure the US should support South Korea if attacked by North Korea," which shows an appalling lack of foreign policy knowledge. Her main line of persuasion is "I have the most" money. That's not super compelling for most people (just look at how Tom Steyer is doing).
Recently, she proceeded to attack Xavier Becerra online after begging him for an endorsement. She also attached me personally on threads and blocked me in Instagram two weeks ago (as she has done with many others), while simultaneously asking for non-supporters to get behind her for the sake of the party.
Her whole campaign has just shown voters than while she has money, she is a ball of utter chaos and lacks the knowledge to do this very hard, serious job. On top of that, she is totally comfortable attacking voters she needs to win. Hard pass.
Lisa Ramirez for congress.
Nina we already know you are working hard to make sure that CA40, a district Lisa doesn’t even live in, stays red by shilling for her spoiler campaign
That’s on you
The claims you make in your comment here are all completely false and unserious, not surprising given your daily trolling of Esther
Do you even live in CA40?
Wow, you are proving my point. You probably should have let that go, but you couldn't. Like your wife, you can't help trolling people you need to vote for you. This shows what kind of people you BOTH are.
I grew up here in Mission Viejo on Lindley street. I attended Los Aliso Jr. high and Mission Viejo High School. I then went on to UC Berkeley and UCSD and worked for USAID for many years before moving back to Mission Viejo to care for aging parents. This is MY community and I will stand up for what is right.
You think you can troll your way to congress, then fine. I wish Esther luck with that.
Your accusations are all 100% fact free I bring receipts and you bring nonsense
Again more utter nonsense. Get a grip
Ok so we both live in CA40 and yet you shill for a candidate who does not. Is she paying you like she pays Briana Walker to troll for her?
No.
Are your Epstein relatives paying for Esther's campaign?
And your wife should not accuse a potential constituent who has lived in the district and been a grassroots volunteer for many election cycles (me) of “spewing lies” on her donation ads, then fail to enlighten me on the lies so I could stop spreading them. I dismiss any poll paid for by a candidate and sampling 500 people is not a large enough group IMHO. I don’t trust a candidate who spends thousands of dollars on a frivolous lawsuit against her most formidable opponent- Joe Kerr. At least this poll included him! We don’t need an influencer, we need someone who represents working people. Lisa is a great candidate, but voting for your valentine is too risky this time around. Joe has the unions and name recognition. He’s the most likely Democrat to flip this seat. It’s a safe red district now, but hopefully the national trend will prevail in CA40!! I hope all of the candidates come together after the primary to flip this seat. 🌊👏
Joe had union endorsements last election, too but lost by a significant margin to Young Kim. It's hard for me to see given his same strategy how this time the results would be any different. Also, I know many don't like to bring up cash, but as of the closing of the first quarter filings, his campaign was negative balance (cash on hand vs. obligations). Not sure why with so many union endorsements that his donation stream isn't flooded with small dollar donations by the members. I am aware that they contribute in other ways (canvassing is one possibility). His stated strategy has been to get more Democrats to vote.
He beat the school board, teacher’s union backed Democrat in the primary. He narrowed the gap from 2022 in the general election with no money and no support - people did not want to “waste their time and resources” on the race because they said it was impossible to win. He needed about 17K more votes and almost 50K registered democrats did not vote in CA40. If the nation wide trend continues, there will be higher voter turnout in the midterms. I’m hoping the “Quien es mas MAGA?” approach will backfire on the Republicans, but it’s going to be awful if that is all we have to choose from on our November ballot.
Could you share where you got that number "needed about 17K more votes"? Are you referring to the 2024 general election, or something else?
I'm just checking Ballotpedia which isn't the official source of course, but the numbers there for 2024 are:
YK: 211,998
JK: 171,637
Difference: 40,361
Also, as far as campaign funding "no money" and beating the Democrat challenger Allyson Damikolas in the primary in 2024, during that time Joe was using i77Strategies ($1.4M source FEC receipts), a firm generally used by Republicans, and the campaign printed some mailer charging her with questionable investments, among other claims. The finances in question were just some stocks that are part of a mutual fund. Also, some quote was taken out of context concerning "chemtrails" conspiracy (her being a Chemical Engineer giving a talk). The campaign strategy worked, though and he won the primary.
Joe has never explained his relationship with i77 this time around (of course he is not required to do so), but there is evidence of a termination payment (FEC receipt) so he might not have used them for the 2026 campaign.
Just not sure we are talking about the same 2024 race here, as the numbers and comments don't match.
It's the number of votes in 2024 needed to get 50% plus one more ballot, not the difference between their vote totals. Maybe I'm doing the math wrong? Bottom line is there were 49K registered democrats not voting down ballot and we could've flipped the seat if they had.
That link results in infinite redirects for me. Supposed to point to a FB posting??
Sorry about that! I'll delete it. I tried to share Joe's FB ad.
Your aunt, Nina Rosenwald, is in the Epstein files. Your mom did insider trading with Ametek. You own a PAC that supports Israel 🤣
Thank you for elevating Ms Ramirez’ visibility! She doesn’t have the cash her opponents have and thus we need those with large audiences to help make her message and outstanding qualifications more widely known.
Yes! She is really the best candidate and she has articulated her case for her grassroots campaign well here.
This is a response to Lisa and her sister Janesa - I do not have anything personal against you guys. But this “she doesn’t have any achievements” assertion is simply not grounded in reality.
Not sure how much you know about me - but I’m part of a generation that thinks regional lawyers going to Congress are useful agents of real change. Did you see the NY Times article recently how no one wants a lawyer in Congress anymore ? That’s how we got into this mess.
We want builders and visionaries to lead. Before talking about entitlement - first of all, I’m the daughter of immigrants. I have worked my ass off all my life. I was that Korean-American valedictorian that you knew in school. I embody the American Dream - and I know some people like you hate that it happened to a person that looks like me. But I’ve always used my efforts to fight for a better world. Read the NY Times profile on me last year and the kind of businesses I built supporting voices that have been long overlooked.
Look into my non-profit board work on food inequality, climate, woman’s right to protect her body. I don’t think Lisa has anything or that sort. That’s why all the national orgs in this arena have endorsed me already. Just look into it. I’ve worked with some of these orgs for a decade, long before running.
Research shows that Lisa’s adherence to Democratic values is shallow - and mostly memorized and rehearsed for this run. No non-profit work except helping other lawyers - and her Catholic Church. What about pro-choice ? Pro-trans and LGBTQ advocacy ? The environment ? She fails on all of this.
Lisa - according to public FEC reports -
Has been using $1500/month for a paid internet troll to spread lies about me and my family. Her name is Brianna Walker aka @inminivanhell — and she was also similarly hired by Rep Dave Min’s opposition to do the same to him.
We are both Korean-American and Brianna Walker has constantly race baited on social media - paid by Lisa Ramirez’s campaign to do so.
Lisa does not run a clean campaign. I do. All the FEC reports are public. Everyone should see it bc it’s where the true story is on a candidate.
She says on her own website that she has wanted to be president since she was a child. That kind of hunger for power isn’t what we are looking for.
And I’m leading because people understand ultimately - moral clarity and quality decades in the making cannot be deterred so easily. And I’m always engaging folks. That’s my MO. I’m accessible. I just block folks seriously that give me creepy antisemitic vibes.
And bc I’m not an elected and don’t have the same protections - I have every right to block people that weird me out. I have momma bear instincts for my Jewish kids. Thank you. Again, door’s always open to do the right thing and help the majority of us — my real grassroots movement of over 5,000
Volunteers and donors IN THIS district fight Trump.
And I think it’s quite out-of-touch for Lisa to compare herself to Mamdani or AOC. Both of them have always had robust grassroots fundraising operations like mine - which has culled over 65,000 donations with an average donation of $27. Facts matter.
The only thing Lisa has in common with them are her low poll numbers — which both young politicians overcame with charisma and a robust fundraising operation. Lisa is neither young nor charismatic online or in person with younger folks. Sorry to be harsh.
In fact, objectively, Lisa is closest to Villagrosa in the Governor’s race. They are both polling at 6% and trending downwards according to polls.
At this point, I am asking our community to focus on our target of retiring the two MAGA incumbents. After what happened with the redistricting wars last week, we can’t afford to deviate from the mission. Love me or hate me - but we are all on the same team.
Unless you are a Jill Steiner. That I don’t have time for. None of us do.
Esther, this is exactly why many people are growing uncomfortable with your campaign.
Instead of simply making the case for yourself, you repeatedly jump to extreme accusations, assumptions about motives, and conspiracy-style narratives about anyone who disagrees with you. Suggesting critics “hate” your success because of your ethnicity, implying coordinated trolling operations, and labeling people antisemitic or racist based on disagreement is not what a “clean campaign” looks like.
You are absolutely entitled to run for Congress and advocate for your qualifications. Others are equally entitled to question them without being smeared personally. That is part of public life.
At this point, I think everything that needs to be said has been said. Lisa is focused on meeting voters and running her campaign, not spending hours fighting in comment sections so don't hold your breath waiting for a reply from her.
And candidly, if Lisa is truly as “unviable” and irrelevant as you and your husband keep insisting, it’s hard to understand why you both spend so much time and energy directed toward attacking her and her supporters online.
I genuinely wish you and your family well, but I’m stepping away from this back and forth now. Voters can evaluate the candidates for themselves.
She's raised functionally no money, she hasn't done any voter contact hardly at all, and is drawing votes away threatening a lockout. She needs to drop out and endorse Esther. The numbers don't support her viability, so staying in is just ego.
You've got to be joking
I've met Lisa several times, same with Joe. I've met Esther once when she interrupted a conversation my table mates and I were deeply into to awkwardly drop a flyer and say something that none of us understood what it had to do with. At the event I was at, all she did was talk about how much money she's raised & said nothing regarding issues the US is facing. It was, quite frankly, embarrassing.
You've literal missed the entire point of what Lisa has said that Jeff posted. Read it again and stop foolishly supporting someone who has no business pretending she will be anywhere near what people need as a representative in DC.
Not sure which event? If it was one of the private event Democrat club townhalls, each candidate answered questions that the committee came up with ahead of time and did not share with the candidates until asked by the moderator. And in one of the forums there was a few minutes where a couple of questions were asked via a live microphone from the audience. Esther's answers to the questions were not all talking about fund raising. Perhaps you are talking about a different event. When you mentioned tables, I was aware that at one of those events there were tables in the back representing subgroups from different cities, and folding chairs in the front for the general population. Looks like Esther misread the situation by interrupting your group there. It was pretty common for the candidates to stop by those tables and mingle with the people.
It was the Canyon Democrats and, no matter what, all she did was show everyone in the audience how out of touch she is with the actual issues by starting off with her "I have tons of money!" spiel. She literally shut everyone down in wanting to listen to her after that point. It didn't help when she did the whole, "WHO'S TIRED OF LOSING!?" weirdness and when no one responded, she did it *again*.
I was at a table outside enjoying the hot dog social with my own campaign team (I'm running for local office) and all 3 came by the table- Joe & Lisa politely waited for a second when my team and I weren't talking before they said hello. They both know me, though, so that may be a factor. Either way, Esther didn't wait, she barged in and left us all speechless. I think I'm pretty obvious in how much I dislike Esther's campaign "strategy". I'm sure she's a lovely person, she's just not a good candidate, IMO. And I'm not alone in thinking that.
She's not a lovely person, but it's very diplomatic of you to say that.
My philosophy is to serve with kindness as much as I'm able to. I don't know her personally. I've seen how she reacts to others and don't agree with that line of communicating, that's for sure. When my children were in grade school, I was a single mom going thru a lot having just come out of a DV marriage and trying to make things happen on my own. I know this isn't the situation Esther is in, but I try to give young mothers some grace because I wasn't my best during those years.
I also had zero ambition to do anything other than raise my children in as stable an environment as I could muster and running for public office was the last thing on my mind- and I was asked to do just that. I said NOPE. My girls were my 100% priority when they were in grade school.
Ah, got it. Thanks for clarifying.
Which part of the district do you live in?
The comparison to Mamdani is laughable. He had huge financial support from billionaires. Look it up
https://blackwestchester.com/who-really-funds-zohran-mamdani/
I read the article. This is a super PAC Independent Expenditure discussion. By law, a candidate may not control (approve or deny) IE’s spent by a super PAC in support of them or opposing their opposition candidates. So, your statement is true in the sense that super PAC’s spent money on IE’s. He didn’t receive any donations via that mechanism, though. Super PAC’s are heavily involved in CA40 at this time WRT Ken Calvert (opposition IE’s for media buys against Young Kim).
People who support empty-suit Esther Kim Varet only need to read this piece to say, “I’m with Lisa.”
If you set aside money and policy positions for a second and just look at their backgrounds, I think they each bring very different kinds of experience.
Esther’s experience is much more tied to entrepreneurship, leadership, and community-facing work. People who support her would probably argue that matters because building and running organizations takes management, communication skills, and the ability to solve problems outside of government.
Lisa’s experience is much more tied to immigration law and advocacy work. Her supporters would probably point to the fact that she’s worked directly with clients and dealt with complicated federal systems firsthand, especially on issues that impact people’s daily lives.
There are also some obvious similarities between them. They’re both mothers (happy belated Mother's Day to both should they read this), both come from immigrant family backgrounds, and both present themselves as advocates for middle-class and working families.
At the end of the day, most voters are probably looking at a mix of things beyond background alone, including some topics other people in this thread are already discussing.