With a week to go until the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in New Jersey, Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown) has picked up a notable new endorsement from the Sierra Club, a top environmental group.
“Representative Andy Kim has been a staunch proponent of environmental protection in New Jersey,” Ricardo Pereira, the club’s New Jersey political chair, said in a statement. “Andy Kim is steadfast in his commitment to combating climate change, preserving our environment, and creating a greener New Jersey. The Sierra Club is proud to endorse him for Senate, and we all look forward to his future accomplishments.”
Kim – who was previously endorsed by the Sierra Club in his 2018, 2020, and 2022 bids for the U.S. House – also recently hosted a roundtable with Sierra Club members to discuss environmental issues in New Jersey and nationwide.
Kim faces two opponents in the June 4 primary: Patricia Campos-Medina and Larry Hamm, both activists running underdog campaigns to Kim’s left. Neither have raised much money or garnered many endorsements; Kim did once have a more formidable challenger in First Lady Tammy Murphy, but she dropped out of the race two months ago.
Murphy’s exit opened the floodgates for national groups like the Sierra Club to endorse the man who is very likely to be New Jersey’s next senator. Also supporting Kim are the Human Rights Campaign, Reproductive Freedom for All, Giffords PAC, Brady PAC, End Citizens United, and VoteVets, the last two of which were among the few groups to endorse Kim while Murphy was still in the race.
Four Republicans are also vying for the Senate seat, while incumbent Senator Bob Menendez, whose trial on federal corruption charges is currently ongoing, is circulating petitions for a potential independent bid.