Rep. Andy Kim Praises Newark Church As He Continues Senate Bid

NEWARK, NJ — U.S. Rep. Andy Kim is offering praise for a church in Newark as it expands its long-running outreach program, holding it up as an example of a community group pushing back against “skyrocketing” health care costs.

Kim, who represents the state’s 3rd Congressional District, joined several other elected officials at an unveiling ceremony at Metropolitan Baptist Church on Sunday. Read More: Newark Church Is Expanding Its Community Outreach In North Jersey

Kim and other officials – including U.S. Sen. Cory Booker – said the Willing Heart Community Care Center has been a boon for the local community over the past decades.

Kim said the event was “an incredible morning in Newark,” and thanked the church and its reverend for the invitation. He said that programs like the ones coming out of the Willing Heart Community Care Center are important, especially as the rising cost of living continues to rise across the state.

• See Related: It Costs This Much To Live In New Jersey, New Report Says

“The reason I actually stepped up to run for Congress in 2017 was to protect Obamacare because health care should be accessible for all, not only to the select few who can afford skyrocketing out-of-pocket costs,” Kim said.

“These new services and opportunities will help so many in the Newark community, and I congratulate Metropolitan Baptist Church for making this life-saving help a reality,” the congressman added.

SENATE RACE IN NJ

Kim is one of several candidates vying for the Democratic Party nod for U.S. Senate in New Jersey’s 2024 primary election, along with another frontrunner, First Lady Tammy Murphy.

The election already has a crowded field of hopefuls competing to replace embattled Sen. Robert Menendez, who hasn’t announced if he will run for re-election following his latest bribery accusation.

Candidates in the Democratic Party race with Newark connections include Lawrence Hamm, a longtime activist in Newark who ran for a Senate seat against Booker in 2020, and Patricia Campos-Medina, a former North Ward resident who has been active with local worker organizing campaigns.

According to Ballotpedia, the candidate list for the 2024 U.S. Senate race in New Jersey currently includes:

• DEMOCRAT – Bob Menendez, Patricia Campos-Medina, Kevin Cupples, Lawrence Hamm, Andrew Kim, Patrick Merrill, Tammy Murphy
• REPUBLICAN – Curtis Bashaw, Michael Estrada, Albert Harshaw, Justin Murphy, Christine Serrano-Glassner, Alex Zdan
• THIRD PARTY/INDEPENDENT – Christina Khalil (Green Party of NJ), Nick Carducci (Independent)

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