In the American election landscape, $10 million is not a small amount.

That's over 14 billion won in our currency.

With that level of campaign funding and a three-term experience as an incumbent federal representative, one would think she would have a good chance of winning.

However, Korean-American Republican Young Kim ultimately lost.

And she didn't lose to a Democratic candidate; she lost to fellow Republican Ken Calvert.

This might be one of the most bitter scenes of this election.

Representative Young Kim gained political experience working for Republican heavyweight former Congressman Ed Royce for many years.

It likely wasn't easy for a woman of Korean immigrant descent to reach the U.S. Congress.

When she was first elected to the House in 2020, it was quite a big deal in the Korean community.

Since then, she successfully won re-election and seemed to establish herself as a prominent politician in California's Republican Party.

She served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, voicing strong opinions on issues concerning China and North Korea, and pushed for legislation to expand U.S. work visas for Korean professionals.

For Korean-Americans, having a representative who can convey our voices in Washington was significant, regardless of political leanings.

However, this election started off strangely.

The issue was the electoral district.

With redistricting in California, Republican incumbents began to encroach on each other's territories.

In particular, Ken Calvert's district changed in a way that favored the Democrats, escalating the problem.

Calvert is a politician who has served an impressive 17 terms.

In terms of political experience, he is a long-standing figure in the Republican Party, far more seasoned than Young Kim.

Calvert decided to run in the 40th district, where Young Kim was, leaving his own district.

In simple terms, two Republican representatives who should be fighting against Democrats ended up battling each other in the same district.

California's primary system allows the top two candidates, regardless of party affiliation, to advance to the general election, making this situation possible.

Ultimately, a rare election emerged where two Republican incumbents faced off against each other under the same party banner.

This must have been bewildering for Young Kim.

Having been elected three times in her district and consistently engaged in legislative activities, suddenly having a political senior from her own party come in to contest her position must have been shocking.

However, Calvert was not in a position to back down either.

With his chances of winning in his long-held district diminished, he needed to find another district to survive politically.

In the end, it was a fight for political survival for both of them.

But an unexpected barrier emerged for Young Kim.

It was the political weight within the Republican Party.

While Young Kim had built considerable experience as a three-term representative, Calvert was a figure who had survived in Washington for decades.

The connections and support networks he had established over years of service were formidable.

Moreover, heavyweights from Silicon Valley also rallied behind Calvert.

There were reports that tech industry figures like Alex Karp from Palantir supported Calvert.

Although Young Kim raised campaign funds amounting to $10 million, having a lot of money does not guarantee victory in American elections.

If the opponent also has substantial funds and a strong organization, the dynamics change.

Especially in an election like this, where candidates from the same Republican Party are competing, it can be difficult to determine the winner based solely on policy differences.

Both candidates are conservative and have long-standing support from the Republican base.

This situation was entirely different from a typical election where voters consolidate their votes behind a Republican candidate to defeat a Democratic opponent.

Furthermore, under California's jungle primary system, Democratic supporters and independent voters can choose between the two Republican candidates.

Ultimately, it became crucial for each candidate to maintain their existing Republican support while attracting other voters.

To understand exactly why Young Kim lost, one would need to examine the voting patterns and choices of voters by region.

However, it is clear that this election was not merely a failure of an incumbent's re-election but a political survival competition that began with redistricting.

Representative Young Kim acknowledged her defeat while strongly criticizing Governor Gavin Newsom.

She argued that due to the political objectives of the Democrats, two Republican incumbents had to fight against each other.

With this defeat, Young Kim will be leaving Washington.

This is a disappointing outcome for the Korean community, as it means the loss of a Korean-American Republican representative.

Of course, not every Korean agreed with Young Kim's political stance. Some of her recent comments related to the Korean government sparked controversy.

Nevertheless, the fact that a woman of immigrant descent born in Korea was elected three times to the U.S. Congress and gained influence in foreign affairs is commendable.

Watching this election, I felt that American politics can be quite harsh.

In politics, yesterday's ally can become today's competitor.

Young Kim's final concession remarks were also striking.

As an immigrant who came to America in search of the American Dream, she expressed that it was a great honor to serve this country.

And she congratulated Congressman Calvert, who defeated her.

Internally, she must have felt a deep sense of loss.

Her decades of political career and future plans likely changed in an instant.

This election was not lost due to a lack of funds or political inexperience.

The electoral district changed, a heavyweight from the same party entered the race, and ultimately, the voters chose Calvert.

This case illustrates how unstable the position of an incumbent can be in American politics.

It remains uncertain whether Young Kim's political life is completely over here.

However, one scene left by this election is likely to be remembered for a long time.

The $10 million campaign funds raised to fight against the Democrats, and the fact that the person who ultimately sent her home was a fellow Republican congressman.