Kim votes for Pelosi

Rep. Andy Kim voted for Rep. Nancy Pelosi in Thursday’s election for House Speaker, contradicting a campaign pledge to not vote the longtime California congresswoman into a leadership role.

During the campaign, Kim said a need for new leadership would prevent him from backing Pelosi for speaker.

“When I worked in Afghanistan, no one asked me if I was a Democrat or Republican, we just focused on serving the American people,” Kim said in June. “As I’m now working to help my community here in New Jersey, it’s time we have new leadership on both sides of the aisle in Washington to get the job done.”

Kim was one of 32 Democrats who opposed Pelosi in a closed-door caucus meeting in November.

Another New Jersey congressman, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, backed the longtime Democratic leader, though that vote cam after Pelosi reached an agreement with the Problem Solvers Caucus, which Gottheimer co-chairs.