 "Who is Andy Kim, the first Korean-American senator?")
In a presidential election marked by several ‘historic firsts’, Democratic Representative Andy Kim was elected to the US Senate on Tuesday, becoming the first Korean-American to hold the position.
Kim defeated Republican businessman Curtis Bashaw for the seat vacated by Bob Menendez, who resigned earlier this year following his federal bribery conviction.
Addressing his supporters in a hotel ballroom after his victory, Kim remarked, “It pains me to my core to see the struggle we are going through.”
“The very foundation of our democracy is rendered fragile. We are at a moment of profound anxiety about what comes next for our country.”
Kim’s campaign stood out for his success in overcoming New Jersey’s first lady, Tammy Murphy, dismantling a key pillar of the state’s longstanding Democratic and Republican political networks.
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Who is Andy Kim?
1. A three-term congressman from central New Jersey, Kim has made history as the first Korean-American in the Senate. In a recent interview, he said that this achievement would validate his parents’ choice to immigrate to the United States 50 years ago.
2. Kim, who previously served as a national security aide in the Obama administration, is a Rhodes Scholar and holds a PhD. from Oxford.
3. Known for his modest and hard-working official, Kim gained national attention in 2021 when he was seen clearing up the US Capitol, collecting garbage after the January 6 insurrection.
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4. He is expected to be sworn in later this month, as outlined by the governor following Bob Menendez’s resignation after being convicted of trading political influence for bribes in the form of gold bars, $480,000 in cash, and a Mercedes-Benz convertible.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts5. Kim has called on Americans to view the upcoming 250th anniversary of the nation’s independence as “a reminder that the greatness of America is not what we take from this country but what we give back.” He added, “Let us use that extraordinary milestone as a moment of healing.”
6. At 42, Kim was first elected to Congress in 2018 after defeating Republican Tom MacArthur, a close ally of Donald Trump, making him the first Asian-American elected to Congress from New Jersey.
7. During his Senate campaign, Kim promised to oppose tax breaks for the wealthy and supported the call for abortion rights.
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8. Before turning a Republican House seat blue in 2018, Kim worked in foreign policy in Washington, advising Gen. David Petraeus during his tenure as commander of US forces in Afghanistan. At 31, Kim became the sole National Security Council member advising former US President Barack Obama on Iraq.
9. To New Jersey’s large and dynamic Korean American community, he is valued as much for his Korean heritage and immigrant upbringing as for his political achievements.
10. Jonghun Kapsong Kim, 59, director of the MinKwon Center for Community Action in Palisades Park, New Jersey, emigrated from Korea as a teenager but still sometimes feels like an outsider in New York and New Jersey. Kim’s election, he told The New York Times, “means you can feel confident that we are finally part of this country.”
Notably, the US Senate’s role extends beyond legislation to crucial oversight of executive appointments, judicial confirmations, and even foreign treaties. One unique Senate power lies in its ability to confirm presidential nominations, shaping everything from the Supreme Court to cabinet-level positions.
Beyond domestic matters, foreign policy is also inextricably linked to Senate decisions. With US military and financial aid being sent to allies globally, the Senate’s new GOP majority holds considerable influence over such allocations.
With inputs from AP
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