Two major national advocacy groups – the pro-LGBTQ Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the abortion rights-focused group Reproductive Freedom for All, formerly known as NARAL – announced today that they’re supporting Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown) for New Jersey’s U.S. Senate seat this year.
“It matters to have champions in leadership – and New Jersey has a champion in Andy Kim,” said Reg Calcagno, the HRC’s national campaigns director. “From his support for the Equality Act to his unwavering commitment to delivering on behalf of all people, Congressman Kim is a true pro-equality fighter and will be a powerful voice in the United States Senate. We are proud to endorse Andy Kim and look forward to mobilizing Equality Voters across the state to send him to the Senate.”
“Trump and Senate Republicans have their eyes dead set on banning abortion nationwide, and electing Andy Kim to the Senate is crucial to stopping them,” said Mini Timmaraj, the president and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All. “We are proud to endorse him today, his victory will be one step closer to securing the federal right to abortion into law and expanding access across our nation.”
Like most other Democrats in Congress, Kim has amassed a strongly pro-LGBTQ and pro-abortion record since first being elected in 2018. In addition to regularly supporting the progressive legislation championed by both groups, Kim is a member of the Congressional Equality Caucus and the House Pro-Choice Caucus.
Kim has been the heavy frontrunner for the Senate seat currently held by Senator Bob Menendez, who is under indictment on federal bribery charges, since First Lady Tammy Murphy dropped out of the race last month.
The congressman will still face two opponents in the June Democratic primary, Patricia Campos-Medina and Larry Hamm, both of whom have struggled to pull in campaign cash or major endorsements. Four Republicans are also running for the seat, though polling shows Kim with a solid lead over any prospective GOP opponent.