Polling Average
50%40%30%20%10%0%
43.5%
44%
44%
Democrat
Esther Kim Varet
CA-40 primary: first place
$240.82
JUN 6, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleArt dealer
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyMainstream Democrat
GenderFemale
LocationCalifornia
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BackgroundArt dealer
EducationYale University (BA)
Notable personal detailsEsther Jin Kim Varet is an American art dealer and gallerist and the founder and director of the contemporary art gallery Various Small Fires (VSF), founded in 2012. She was raised in Dallas, Texas, earned a BA from Yale University and an MA from Columbia University, and has worked in the contemporary art world as a gallery owner and dealer. She is a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House in California’s 40th congressional district in the 2026 election cycle.
SourcesShowHide
fec.goven.wikipedia.orgwikidata.orgestherkimvaret.comgivegreen.comlatimes.comcaliforniadsa.orgisidewith.comaspirepac.orgen.koreadaily.comcookpolitical.combluevoterguide.orgelections.cdn.sos.ca.govdocquery.fec.govarxiv.orgcadem.orgfoxnews.comnrcc.orgtheliberaloc.comestherjy.comtheorg.comestherkimmd.comucsfhealth.orgcchf.orgentsp.comlinkedin.combsky.appcbsnews.comwashingtonpost.comaxios.comtranscripts.cnn.comen-gb.facebook.comlegal.x.comfacebook.com
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
The candidate pledges to "make taxes fair," lower costs for middle-class families, protect seniors, and rejects corporate PAC contributions; no detailed tax-rate proposals or explicit advocacy for higher taxes on wealthy individuals or major tax-cut plans were found on official or media pages reviewed.
Healthcare
The campaign states she will work to lower costs and ensure quality, affordable healthcare is within reach and pledges to protect access to affordable health care and reproductive health services. The website and endorsements emphasize lowering costs and defending access but do not specify support for Medicare for All, a public option, or detailed healthcare policy proposals.
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Immigration & Border
The candidate has criticized Trump administration immigration policies and has highlighted immigrant family experiences as central to her story and campaign. Her public posts have drawn attention to deportation and ICE actions, signaling support for more humane treatment of immigrants while not laying out a detailed border-enforcement blueprint on her campaign site.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate supports safe access to abortion, contraception, and IVF for women in every state and states that these decisions should be between a woman and her doctor. The campaign opposes government interference in reproductive healthcare and says she will vote to protect women’s right to choose and provide access to healthcare.
Climate & Energy
Supports science-based actions to address pollution and climate change and pledges to protect clean air and water through responsible solutions and competitiveness-preserving policy. Emphasizes environmental protection as part of her campaign priorities but does not endorse Green New Deal–level language on the campaign site.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports responsible gun safety measures and is aligned with gun-violence-prevention groups; emphasizes backing common-sense gun safety while casting herself as respectful of lawful gun ownership. Campaign materials and related coverage characterize her as a supporter of expanded gun-safety policies.
Polls
CA-40 primary: first place
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Endorsements
CA-40 primary: first place
Endorsers of Esther Kim Varet for CA-40 primary: first place
Broadway San Francisco
Political organization
Broadway San Francisco supported Esther Kim Varet's congressional campaign.
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 2026Total raisedCash on hand
$2.7M
$2.1M
$1.4M
$685.3K
$0
2026
LatestYear
Total raised
Cash on hand
Total spent
Burn rate
Cycle 2026
$2.7M
$1.1M
$1.6M
$106.1K
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
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