In the wake of Senator Bob Menendez’s bribery scandal, Andy Kim’s entrance into the Senate race signifies a pivotal moment in political history. If elected, Congressman Kim would be the first Korean American to serve in the Senate, the first Asian American elected from the entire East Coast of America, and the fourth youngest person in the Senate.
Since his last exclusive interview with Best of Korea, Congressman Kim has galvanized his supporters in his run for the Senate, seeking a monumental victory for the Asian American community. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to interview Congressman Kim, where he thoughtfully spoke about his exciting campaign as well as the challenges that loom ahead in the next four months before the June 2024 primaries.
Despite enjoying a double-digit lead in the polls, Andy Kim faces stiff competition from Tammy Murphy, the wife of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, who boasts a considerable edge in campaign fundraising.
Congressman Kim also candidly spoke to us about the importance of engaging Gen Z and Asian American voters, his second-generation immigrant upbringing, and the driving principles behind his message of restoring integrity to New Jersey politics.
Photo courtesy of Andy Kim for Senate, 2024.
12 Questions for Congressman Andy Kim on His Historic Bid for the US Senate:
Owen Shin: We were very excited to hear that you were running for the Senate. Was it a difficult decision to make?
Andy Kim: I wasn’t planning on running for the US Senate. I was focused on serving my district in the US House and spending more time with my two boys. However, when Senator Menendez was indicted, I was the first in our state to call on him to step aside. Instead, he said, “I’m not going anywhere.” His refusal to step down was the reason I decided to step up and run for the Senate.
It was a very difficult decision, but the people of New Jersey deserve a Senator whom they can trust, and someone who can restore integrity back into this Senate seat and New Jersey politics as a whole. I also recognize that running for statewide office means I have even less time to spend with my wife and children. But at the end of the day, I am doing this for my two young boys who are 6 and 8 years old. Their generation is in real danger of becoming the first generation to not have better opportunities than those who came before them; so the challenges of this race are well worth it to ensure we can set them up for the futures they deserve.
Since your announcement to run for the Senate, what are the greatest challenges that you have faced?
While I am currently double digits in the lead in polling, there are some challenges that I face that will make this more competitive. In New Jersey, the way the ballot is designed is unique compared to the rest of the country in that each county holds its own voting process to determine where names appear on the ballot. This decision is made by local elected officials, by the county Democratic chair exclusively, or by “County Convention,” which results in one candidate being “endorsed” by the county and then that translates into priority placement on the voting ballot.
The design of the ballot is understandably confusing for voters as it makes it look like there is only one nominee from the Democratic Party for the Senate, when in actuality there will be multiple declared Democratic candidates. Receiving “the line” has statistically been proven to give a candidate an unfair advantage, since voters tend to just vote “down the line” on the ballot. This is a challenge in that it takes away the fair choice for voters to decide in an objective way who they want as their Democratic nominee.
I am also running against two of the most powerful political families in the state and with power comes an advantage that most of us aren’t afforded, myself included. That being said, I have been focused on connecting with people on the ground, not the powerful few behind closed doors, and it will be the people of New Jersey, not party bosses, who will get to decide.
How has your approach changed, if at all, since First Lady Murphy entered the Senate race?
My approach has not changed. I am running a grassroots campaign powered by the people, not the well-off and well-connected, powerful few. I am focused on connecting with voters on the ground so that they can make a fair choice for who they want to represent them as the Democratic nominee for US Senate.
New Jersey’s Asian population has surged past 1,000,000 in a recent study, and Asian eligible voters have grown more than any other group since the last presidential election. Has there been a targeted approach to get more Asian voters to vote?
It was an honor to be the first Asian American elected to federal office from New Jersey in 2018, and it would be an honor to be the first Korean American ever to serve in the Senate and the first Asian American ever elected from the entire East Coast of America to serve as Senator. It is so important that the NJ Federal Delegation reflects the diversity we see here in our state, so to receive the support and trust from the NJ Asian American community would be incredible.
However, I am not taking any vote for granted and plan to work to earn their support and vote so that when I go to Washington, they will know I am prepared to fight for them; not because we have the same background, but because they feel I am the best choice to be their voice in the Senate.
That being said, there is an ongoing effort to inform all voters in NJ, not just specific subsets, about the importance of registering as a Democrat. Since NJ has closed Primary Elections (meaning you can only vote if registered to the party,) there’s more importance in actually turning out to vote in an election that typically does not get much attention, so that the people have a say in who represents them.
I understand that you raised an astounding $2.75 million since you launched your campaign last September. How did you do this, and is there a goal that your campaign has set between now and the primary?
It was incredible to see so many people from across the state and country come out and support my campaign when I announced I was stepping up to run for Senate. We raised $1 million in the first week alone! My message of restoring integrity back into NJ politics is resonating with so many people, which is further proof that voters are sick and tired of the broken political system we find ourselves in at the moment.
We are witnessing a movement from people across the political spectrum who are hungry for change, and who are ready for a new generation of leadership in Washington to fight for their values, not for their own personal gain. That being said, running a statewide campaign in two of the most expensive media markets in the country (New York and Philadelphia) is a feat in itself; so we do have a high goal of fundraising simply because it is very expensive to run campaigns in this area of the country. People can go to www.andykim.com/donate to help us reach our goal.
How much time do you spend campaigning? And how do you select people to help you with the campaign?
Running for statewide office is not easy by any means. But I am putting everything I have into this campaign and am putting in the work and time needed to make sure all of the communities in NJ know who I am, what my values are, and why I feel I am the best choice to serve as the next Senator from NJ.
I think back to Mr. Rogers’ phrase “Find the Helpers.” The group of people we have brought together to work on this campaign are people who have a genuine desire to uplift our grassroots movement and bring power back to the actual voters, rather than the well-off and well-connected.
I appreciate everyone who has joined #TeamAndy, whether in a staff or volunteer capacity, and I am excited to grow our team over the next few months.
How important are endorsements by Democratic politicians?
I’ve been honored to receive endorsements from Democratic elected officials at the local and state level here in New Jersey, and from my colleagues in Congress. The people who have worked with me, and know me best, know that I work hard to deliver for the people of our state. They know that I’ve got the experience to get things done on day one, and they know that I’ll fight for working families, not just those who are well-off and well-connected.
Are Gen Z and younger voters an important part of your strategy? How are you going about getting more young voters to engage and vote?
Engaging young voters, including “Gen Z,” is crucial not just for the NJ Senate election, but the November General Election as a whole. Young people truly have the power to impact who the next leaders across the country will be, but we are seeing young people less hopeful than ever about politics and the direction our country is heading.
Fortunately, my campaign message of restoring integrity back into politics has resoundingly resonated with the younger generation. I’ve been endorsed by the College Democrats of America, The College Democrats of New Jersey, and Rutgers Democrats. It’s a great feeling to know that the younger generation is excited about a Primary election in NJ, because that just doesn’t usually happen.
You were the first Democratic member of Congress of Korean descent. If you win your race, you will be the first Korean American Senator. How, if at all, has growing up in a Korean American immigrant family led you to becoming a public servant?
My parents immigrated here 50 years ago and made the courageous choice to come to America to provide a better life for my sister and me. Their story of the “American Dream” inspired me to dedicate my life to public service and give back to this country that gave our family so much opportunity. This led me to become a diplomat and ultimately was part of the reason I decided to take on my then-Congressman in 2018 who was leading the charge to strip Obamacare, which would have resulted in taking away healthcare from so many in our communities who needed it.
Giving back through public service is a guiding principle that resonates with me to this day as I look at my two young boys, who are growing up in the same community that I did. I hope to make it possible for them to have more opportunities than I had growing up. I’m doing this for them.
Why do you think so few Korean Americans have chosen the path of public service and politics?
My family did not follow or discuss politics much as I grew up. And in terms of the types of professions that I was encouraged to pursue, politics and governance weren’t high on that list. I understand why in many ways because my family didn’t know anyone involved in politics. As immigrants, my parents felt far away from politics and didn’t necessarily think there was space for families like ours.
When I started in government, there were very few Asian Americans. But we are starting to see a shift. I see a new, younger generation stepping up and I’m proud to be a part of it. Our voice is important and we deserve a seat at the table.
If you were to be elected, you would be 23 years younger than the average age in the Senate. Do you think that it’s important for our government to include younger voices?
If elected, I would be the 4th youngest Senator to serve at a time when we are seeing a real hunger for a new generation of leadership to step up and fight for the issues we face every day like: student debt, climate change, reproductive freedoms, childcare…the list goes on and on. I am a founding member of “The Dad Caucus” in the House of Representatives because, as young dads, we realized no one was fighting for the priorities that young parents are worrying about.
I think it is incredibly important for the US Congress to accurately reflect the diverse makeup of our country and I would be excited to be able to bring a younger perspective to that chamber.
What is your advice to young Asian Americans looking to have a career in politics?
Never stray from remembering why you want to go into politics in the first place. I joke that I am a “workhorse” not a “show horse” because I truly want to help people and my community and improve the lives of everyone, regardless of if they voted for me or not.
I ran for Congress because my Congressman at the time was leading the charge to strip away Obamacare, taking healthcare away from so many people who needed it, and that didn’t sit right with me. Just as the corruption facing Senator Menendez didn’t sit right with me, so I took action in the best way I knew how which was to step up and run for Senate. Our job at the end of the day is to help others, not ourselves, and that is what I hope to do in the Senate if elected.
How you can help:
- To support Andy Kim’s Senate Campaign and join #TeamAndy, please follow this link to his donation page
- If you live in NJ, register to vote as a Democrat so you can vote for Andy Kim in the Primary Election. Deadline to Register is May 14, 2024
