Trump Endorses Riverside County Rep. Ken Calvert

CORONA, CA — Unsurprisingly, former President Donald Trump announced this week his endorsement of Riverside County Congressman Ken Calvert's run for reelection.

"Congressman Ken Calvert is doing a fantastic job representing the people of California in Congress," Trump said in a released statement Wednesday via his Save America political action committee. "Ken is a leader on National Security and Strongly Supports our Brave Military and Vets. He is working hard to deliver water solutions for California, Lower your Taxes, Secure our Border, and Protect and Defend our Second Amendment. Ken has my Complete and Total Endorsement."

In response, Calvert (R-Corona) issued a statement:

“I have been endorsed by a growing list of leaders ranging from seven mayors in the 41st District to, now, President Trump. With their support, I plan on giving voters a clear alternative to the failed inflationary agenda of President Biden and Nancy Pelosi that is hurting families every day," he said.

Calvert currently represents the cities of Eastvale, Norco, Corona, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Wildomar, Murrieta, and portions of Temecula in the 42nd Congressional District. He is on the June 7 primary election ballot in the 41st District due to redistricting. The 41st stretches from Norco down to Lake Elsinore and Wildomar and eastward to the Coachella Valley. It also cuts up to Calimesa in the San Gorgonio Pass Area. See map below:

A long-serving politician, Calvert was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992 and has remained loyal to his conservative Republican base. The Riverside County lawmaker's support for Trump was steadfast throughout the former president's term.

Calvert was also committed to the Trump cause in the 2020 election aftermath. The Riverside County leader joined more than 125 other House Republicans in signing an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court that backed a Texas lawsuit seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. While he condemned the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol building, Calvert also voted to deny certification of election results from Arizona and Pennsylvania — states where then-President-Elect Joe Biden defeated Trump.

Finally, immediately following Biden's inauguration, Calvert issued a statement pledging to work with the new administration while promising to push "priorities" for his conservative base.

Calvert is facing a number of challengers on the June 7 ballot, including former federal prosecutor Will Rollins, a Democrat.

In a released statement about the Trump endorsement for Calvert, Rollins said, "It's a sad irony that Donald Trump's endorsement of my opponent as a 'leader on National Security' also comes at the same time the former president called Putin as a 'savvy genius' for invading Ukraine."