The growth of the AAPI community in America has been explosive over the last decades, with around six in one hundred Americans identifying as Asian in 2022. However, representation in the federal government still needs to grow. Out of the one hundred Senators in the Senate, only two are Asian American. 

However, this fall, a son of Korean immigrants will join their ranks and become the first Asian American senator from New Jersey. This candidate, House Representative Andy Kim, has built up a reputation in Capitol Hill for his service in the House, progressive stances, and dedication to public service, gaining widespread media attention for a photograph of him cleaning up trash left behind after the January 6 Capitol attack. His journey from a small New Jersey town to the halls of Congress stretches from a rural ranch in Eastern California to Afghanistan, and mirrors the broader story of the Asian American community’s perseverance and growth.

Representative and Senator-elect Andy Kim, seen here, putting items carried and left by rioters in a trash bag. 

Kim was born to Korean parents in Boston, Massachusetts, on July 12, 1982. He grew up in Southern New Jersey. Uniquely, he was accepted to Deep Springs College, a hyper-selective university with only 30 staff members and about 26 students. After spending two years there, he transferred to the University of Chicago, graduating in 2004. Later, Kim worked for the U.S. State Department, serving as a civilian advisor in Afghanistan before becoming a national security adviser under President Obama and a United States National Security Council official. 

In 2018, Kim was inspired to run against incumbent representative Tom MacArthur for New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional seat after being greatly alarmed by the latter’s support for repealing the Affordable Care Act (or Obamacare). He won every vote in the Democratic primary as the sole candidate. Despite MacArthur having an advantage as the incumbent, Kim drew support from several prominent Democrats, including President Obama, former Vice President (and now President) Joe Biden, and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. 

During MacArthur’s race against Kim, the latter was criticized as “real fishy” by the New Jersey Republican Party in stereotypically Asian Wonton font. This move was criticized as racially motivated. 

A pamphlet distributed by the New Jersey Republican Party. Source: Republican Candidates Sure Do Love Sending Gross, Bigoted Mailers to Prospective Voters

Kim nonetheless prevailed in the closely contested election by around 1 percent, becoming the first Asian American representative from New Jersey. In the House of Representatives, his first bill was the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act (SAVE Act), designed to lower prescription drug costs and prohibit brands from stopping generic versions of drugs from being sold on the market. The bill passed the House by a large margin but died in the Senate.  

Representative Andy Kim was comfortably re-elected in both 2020 and 2022. However, in 2024 he chose not to seek re-election and instead ran to defeat U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, who was indicted and later found guilty of providing sensitive information to Egypt’s government. The wife of New Jersey Governor Tammy Murphy initially challenged Kim. However, the latter later dropped out, allowing Representative Kim to easily win the Democratic primary with around three-quarters of the vote and advance to the general election against Republican Curtis Bashaw, where Kim won by around 9 points. Kim is now set to become New Jersey’s first Asian American senator and the first Korean American elected to the Senate, once again breaking barriers and weakening the bamboo ceiling in Congress. 

Andy Kim, right, in a Senate debate with Republican Curtis Bashaw, left. Source: Kim and Bashaw split on abortion, affordability in first Senate debate – New Jersey Globe