Screenshot from CSPAN2 of Kim’s swearing-in on Dec. 9, 2024
Andy Kim is officially a U.S. Senator after being sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday. Kim succeeds fellow Democrat Bob Menendez, who resigned following a federal bribery conviction.
Kim, 42, is the first Korean American to serve in the U.S. Senate and the first Asian American to hold this position in New Jersey. Reflecting on his family’s journey to the United States, Kim has said his achievement honors his parents’ decision to immigrate decades ago. A Rhodes Scholar and former Obama administration official with a Ph.D. from Oxford, Kim first gained widespread attention for his hands-on response after the January 6 Capitol attack when he was seen cleaning up debris.
Kim’s platform includes opposing tax cuts for the wealthy and advocating for reproductive rights, marking a continuation of his progressive policy focus.