Overview

• Democratic hopeful Esther Kim Varet mocked Rep. Young Kim’s English proficiency by calling her an “ESL puppet” in a social media post.
• Rep. Young Kim defended her accent and immigrant background, saying she will continue to use her voice to protect the American dream.
• NRCC spokesman Christian Martinez condemned Varet’s remarks as hate-filled and predicted that California voters will reject her extremism.
• Varet has refused to retract her comments and attributed the slurs to being a first-time candidate with no filter.
• Recent Federal Election Commission filings show Varet with about $1.3 million in cash on hand versus Young Kim’s nearly $4 million, and Cook Political Report labels the race lean Republican.