[US Election 2024]
Andy Kim (42, Democrat), the first Korean American ever elected to the U.S. Senate, stated on the 5th (local time), "After more than 120 years of Korean American history, I am finally able to have this opportunity," expressing his humility as he assumes his Senate position.
According to Yonhap News, Kim said at a press conference held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, after his election was confirmed, "As I prepare to take on the role of senator, I approach this moment with the utmost humility." Kim, the first Korean American to run for the U.S. Senate, defeated his competitor, Republican Curtis Bashaw, in this Senate and House election held alongside the presidential election.
Kim stated, "Out of approximately 600 million people historically called Americans, only about 2,000 have had the honor to hold this position, and after more than 120 years of Korean American history, I am able to have this opportunity," emphasizing its significance. He added, "I believe I can add a chapter that has not yet been written in history." He stressed, "There is no doubt that a new era of politics has begun. The old ways are over," and "We did not simply run an election campaign; we created a movement to fix broken politics. Election day is not the finish line but the beginning."
Additionally, Kim explained his choice of the hotel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, as the venue for his victory speech, saying, "When I first moved to New Jersey at age five, I stayed at this hotel for a few weeks," and "Some of the most vivid memories of my life were made here." He said, "I wanted to be here tonight, in this hotel, standing in this place," and added, "I thank my parents and family, and I thank this state for giving a boy like me the chance to dream."
Kim, a Democrat who served three terms as a U.S. Representative from New Jersey, declared his candidacy for the U.S. Senate after fellow Democrat Bob Menendez, New Jersey’s senator, was indicted on bribery charges late last year. He was officially confirmed as the Democratic Senate candidate in New Jersey’s primary election in June. New Jersey has been considered a Democratic stronghold where Democratic candidates have continuously won U.S. Senate elections since 1972.
Kim, the first Korean American senator in U.S. congressional history, was born to first-generation Korean immigrant parents and raised in southern New Jersey. Before entering politics, he worked as an expert in diplomacy and security. During the Barack Obama administration, he served as a staff member to the NATO commander stationed in Afghanistan and as an advisor on Iraq at the White House National Security Council (NSC).
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