Andy Kim holds US Senate campaign event in Highland Park

On Sunday, Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) held a meet and greet at Pino's Gift Basket Shoppe and Wine Cellar in Highland Park as part of his campaign for the U.S. Senate. 

Kim is competing against New Jersey's First Lady Tammy Murphy in a primary race to oust incumbent candidate Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who is currently facing a multitude of federal bribery charges. 

Kim addressed event attendees and described his path to politics. For a few years, Kim worked as an advisor to former President Barack Obama, where he got the chance to bring his family to the White House, he said.

"I just remember thinking to myself at that moment, 'This is America.' This is what this country is about," he said. "It made me so proud to serve this country."

Kim said he was first inspired to run for public office after former President Donald J. Trump's election. He said he felt strong disappointment in the Trump administration's policies and was motivated to run for office after his local representative voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

"I'm a son of a polio survivor, and my congressman (was) trying to gut pre-existing condition protections," he said. "I felt I had to do something to hold (Republicans) accountable."

Kim spoke about how he defeated his opponent in 2018, who had won the district by 20 points two years prior. He added that he defended his seat in 2020 despite Trump winning in his district.

Reflecting on his time in Congress, Kim said Democrats have made several accomplishments with legislation regarding infrastructure, abortion and gun control.

He also spoke about Menendez's indictment and said he was the first New Jersey congressional delegation member to call for his resignation.

Kim said his decision to run was based on his disapproval of contemporary politics, particularly the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

"I don't know if I can look my kids in the eye right now and tell them 'I guarantee you that you will have a better life and more opportunities than I did,'" he said. "That's why I'm here."

Kim wrapped up his remarks by saying his campaign is a challenge against corruption and ineffectiveness.

"If I am your senator, you will never have to question why I serve this nation," he said. "(This campaign) is about making sure that we remind people what the actual purpose of our government is, which is trying to solve problems in people's lives."

Kim, who is leading in opinion polls, recently filed a lawsuit seeking to challenge the constitutionality of the state's ballot design. 

Ballots in New Jersey place candidates endorsed by county leaders in the same column, while unendorsed candidates are placed on farther parts of the ballot, according to the New York Times. 

"I'm just asking for a fair shot to be able to be the next senator, but I'll be honest ... I'm not getting that all over the state," Kim said. "But we're going to continue to work together to make sure that we're fighting for the kind of democracy that we all deserve."

After his speech, Kim fielded questions from the audience. One individual asked him if he would vote against military aid for Israel in its ongoing war with Hamas.

Kim said he supports peace in the region but declined to offer a direct response, referring to a recent Senate bill that ties aid to Ukraine with military support for Israel.

"I'm trying to figure out how this is going to come before the House of Representatives … I'm also trying to figure out how we can make sure that (Russian President Vladimir Putin) doesn't take over Ukraine," he said.

Another audience member asked Kim if he would support a House resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza region. He said he supports a ceasefire but disagrees with the exact language and details of the resolution.

Later, he said he supports efforts to provide humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.

One individual asked Kim about his plans to protect LGBTQ+ rights, to which he mentioned his support of the recent Equality Act and cited its expansion of protections for sexual orientation.

After taking questions from the audience, Kim spoke with The Daily Targum, where he discussed issues facing college students and younger voters.

He said in recent votes that he has supported bills that increased the amount of Pell Grants awarded and said he is committed to finding the root causes of tuition hikes.

On affordability, Kim reflected on his struggles with student debt and said he has worked on legislation that aided young people in buying homes.

When asked what issue he thinks young people care about most, Kim named climate change, gun control and affordability, but ultimately spoke on disillusionment in government institutions.

"(There is) this sense of anxiety about an unpredictable future, and a feeling like politics and politicians don't care about, don't care about solving these issues," he said. "But I've been saying a lot lately that I believe that the opposite of democracy is apathy. We can't give in to the helplessness. I hope young people and students will stay engaged throughout because it's so important right now."