Andy Kim (politician)

A resident of Bordentown Township, New Jersey,[12] Kim ran against two-term incumbent Republican Tom MacArthur in the November 6, 2018, United States House of Representatives election in New Jersey after advancing from the June Democratic primary.

Kim was endorsed by Obama,[13] former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden,[14] New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy,[15] and actress Piper Perabo.[16] Kim said he was inspired to run in reaction to MacArthur's efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act.[17]

During the campaign, MacArthur sought to portray Kim as a D.C. elitist and outsider. In an ad run by the New Jersey Republican Party, Kim was described as "Real Fishy" in Wonton font on a picture of dead fish. The ad was criticized for its racial undertones.[3]

The race was considered too close to call on election night, but the next night, an influx of absentee ballots in Burlington County, home to the majority of the district's voters, gave Kim a 2,500-vote lead, prompting him to declare victory.[18] MacArthur conceded eight days later.[19] With a margin of victory of less than 4,000 votes, or slightly over 1% of votes cast, this was New Jersey's closest congressional race.[20][21] Kim became the first Asian American U.S. representative from New Jersey, despite running in a predominantly white district that supported Trump in 2016.[22]

Kim ran for reelection in 2020. He faced Republican nominee David Richter, a businessman, in the general election. Richter originally planned to run against then-Democrat Jeff Van Drew in the second district, but after Van Drew switched parties, Richter decided to run against Kim in the third district.[23] Once again, Kim's district voted for Trump.[22]

Although the race was projected to be close, Kim won by 30,000 votes,[24] even though he had voted to impeach Trump in 2019.[22]

Kim's first official action during his tenure to vote for Nancy Pelosi as United States Speaker of the House, though he voted against her nomination during a November 2018 Democratic caucus meeting.[25] He cited the need to reopen the government amid the ongoing government shutdown for his decision to back Pelosi.[26]

In February 2019, Kim introduced his first bill, the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act (SAVE Act).[27] In May, the SAVE Act passed the House, 234–183. The bill, which was designed to lower prescription drug costs and included a provision to prohibit brands from stopping generic versions of drugs to be sold on the market, was not expected to pass the Senate.[28]

In June 2019, Kim co-sponsored an amendment to stop a pay raise for members of Congress.[29]

In April 2020, House leadership appointed Kim to the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus crisis.[30]

In 2020, Kim co-sponsored and voted for the Justice in Policing Act.[31]

On January 7, 2021, after voting to certify the 2020 presidential election, Kim gained widespread media attention for a photograph of him cleaning up debris from the earlier storming of the Capitol.[22][32][33][34]

• Committee on Armed Services[35]
  • Subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities
  • Subcommittee on Readiness (Vice Chair)
• Committee on Small Business
  • Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access (Chair)[36]
  • Subcommittee on Innovation and Workforce Development[37]
• Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis[38]

• Congressional Progressive Caucus[39]
• Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus[39]
• Future Forum[39]