“Gil Cisneros has made expanding opportunity for every child his life’s mission. As a first generation college graduate, a veteran, and education advocate, he knows what it means to live the American Dream. Gil’s story and values provide a clear contrast with his opponent’s, and that’s why he will prevail this November. ” said DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján.
To: Interested Parties
From: Drew Godinich, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: June 5, 2018
RE: The Case Against Young Kim
The race between Young Kim and Gil Cisneros pits a failed career politician, political operative, and tax dodger who’s taken over $1 million in taxpayer-funded salaries and benefits against a first-time candidate, veteran, and education advocate who fits the anti-establishment political environment.
Gil Cisneros has long been recognized as the strongest general election candidate for this district, thanks to his powerful story of education advocacy and paying it forward after coming into good fortune, which is consistent with his record of service to our country in the Navy. It is clear that Gil’s ability to appeal to racially and demographically diverse voters, as well as voters across the political spectrum, make him one of the strongest Democratic candidates in the state.
Young Kim’s Republican orthodoxy is no longer a fit match for a changing district that Hillary Clinton won by 8 points in 2016 and where Republicans and Democrats are now nearly tied in voter registration. After being rejected by voters in 2016, Young Kim’s embrace of the GOP tax scam and health care repeal plan will do little to endear her to voters reeling from skyrocketing healthcare premiums and higher tax burdens that hurt Californians particularly badly.
Young Kim is stuck between a rock and a hard place – to keep her base, she must walk a deeply unpopular party line, which will alienate the swing and cross-over voters necessary to win the district. But to appeal to the swing voters and moderates necessary to win this district, she risks losing her base. It’s not a tightrope she is walking particularly well: when recently asked whether she would be opening to campaigning with Donald Trump, she responded “I’m going to talk to my consultants.”
While Young Kim talks with her Washington consultants, Gil Cisneros is talking about his track record of fighting for educational opportunity for everyone, lowering healthcare costs and premiums, and fighting for real tax relief for the middle-class.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“With President Trump’s approval rating languishing south of 40 percent, a Republican lacking Royce’s reputation and $3.5 million would be a considerable underdog in November, particularly without a competitive GOP candidate for governor or senator to drive out turnout.” [Cook Political Report, 5/22/2018]
“Lucky and Focused Lottery Winner Uses Millions to Boost Hispanic Students”, [Inside Philanthropy, 6/24/2015]
“A majority of voters, 54%, said they would be less likely to reelect their representative if that member of Congress voted to repeal the healthcare law… Nearly half of voters, 47%, said they opposed the federal tax overhaul signed by Trump in December. It had support of 27% of voters surveyed, and 26% weren’t sure or had no opinion. A slim majority of voters, 52%, said they would be less likely to vote to reelect their member of Congress if he or she supported the bill. [Los Angeles Times, 5/23/18]
YOUNG KIM: CAREER POLITICIAN, PARTY APPARATCHIK, TAX EVADER
Embracing the GOP Tax Scam Despite Failing to Pay Her Own Taxes
Young Kim has embraced the GOP Tax Scam, despite the devastating impact of this law on Southern Californians. With 33% of CA-39 residents benefiting from the SALT deduction, the GOP Tax Scam’s caps to the combined SALT & property tax deductions eliminate savings on $11,171 worth of taxes for each beneficiary in the district. Even worse, she’s failed to pay her own taxes, and currently owes the IRS between $10,000 and $15,000.
Don’t forget – the GOP Tax Scam will increase the deficit by $1.9 trillion, result in nearly one million Californians will be paying $12 billion more in higher taxes, and gives 83% of its benefits to the wealthiest 1% of Americans. It also and increases incentives for companies to move jobs overseas — all while millions of middle-class families pay more over time.
Supports Skyrocketing Healthcare Premiums in California, Jeopardizing Constituents’ Health Care
Due to Republicans’ actions in Washington, healthcare premiums are expected to increase by nearly 18% in California. But Young Kim also opposes the ACA and is open to repealing it, and the Republicans’ replacement would’ve gutted pre-existing condition protections and jeopardized health insurance for 41,300 people in CA-39. Additionally, it imposed an age tax on seniors, gutted protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and did nothing to lower the price of prescription drugs.
THE PATH TO VICTORY
California’s 39th congressional district is a swing district that supported Hillary Clinton by 8 points and that straddles Orange County, San Bernardino County, and Los Angeles Counties. The district is majority-minority – minority-majority, and is 28.2% Asian-American and 26.2% Latino.
Grassroots energy in this suburban, affluent district drove Ed Royce to an early retirement, and Democrats have the momentum heading into the fall. With Gil Cisneros on the ballot after a hard-earned second place finish, Democrats have a well-funded outsider candidate with a compelling story that fits this community, while Republicans face an uncertain path with a failed career politician who has already been rejected by voters in the district.
Moreover, Young Kim will continue to struggle to unite the Republican base while also attempting to woo moderate swing voters who will decide this purple district. Young Kim’s history of ethical lapses and stances on the GOP health care repeal plan and the Tax Scam have already provided Democrats all we need to flip this seat in November with potent talking points in this contest.
Democrats got the candidate that we wanted in this seat – a Latino veteran and first-generation college graduate who has dedicated his life to improving opportunities for others. His personal story of service before self, and the stories of the hundreds of students he’s helped along the way, will be front and center in this election campaign.