Susan Rice, who served as Ambassador to the United Nations and National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama, has endorsed Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown) for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination in New Jersey.
Rice worked with Kim for the two years they overlapped on the Obama White House staff. Her tenure also coincided with incumbent Bob Menendez’s time as the chairman and ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“I saw him serve our nation through incredibly difficult and stressful crises,” Rice said. “Through those tough times, I also saw what his character is made of. When he sees something wrong — he rolls up his sleeves and works to fix it.”
Menendez’s trial on federal corruption charges is set to begin in May; he has not said if he will seek re-election to a fourth term in the Senate. Kim announced his challenge to Menendez on September 23, one day after the Justice’s indictment of Menendez was unsealed.
Tammy Murphy, the first lady of New Jersey, entered the race in November. Also running are former Newark school board member Lawrence Hamm and activist Patricia Campos-Medina.
On Saturday, Rice sent out a fundraising email touting Kim’s actions after the January 6 protest at the U.S. Capitol.
“When our democracy was attacked on January 6, Andy was there picking up the trash left by Trump’s mob. We’ve all seen the photo by now, but it’s still powerful to this day,” Rice said. “Andy didn’t pose for the camera. He got to work, put his hands on the floor, and sorted through the debris to fix the mess. That’s what Andy does best.”
If Kim wins, he will become the first Obama White House staffer to serve in the United States Senate.