- First-term Rep. Andy Kim has won reelection in New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District after a challenge from Republican David Richter, according to Decision Desk HQ.
- Kim, a former State Department advisor who worked under the Obama administration, flipped the third district back to Democratic control by a narrow victory in the 2018 midterms.
- Kim amassed a significant cash advantage over Richter, a businessman and construction executive who emerged from a bitter GOP primary battle in July.
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First-term Rep. Andy Kim has defeated Republican David Richter to win reelection in New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ.
The candidates:
Kim, a former State Department advisor, worked under Gen. David Petraeus in Afghanistan and later at the National Security Council under former President Barack Obama.
Kim defeated former Rep. Tom McArthur, who was heavily criticized over his vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and won back the seat from Republican control by a margin of just 1.3 percentage points in the 2018 midterms.
Richter, a businessman and construction executive in the area, defeated Kate Gibbs, a union leader and former Burlington County elected official, to face Kim in the general election.
As Jewish Insider reported, the primary between Richter and Gibbs turned nasty and personal at times. In May, Richter’s campaign aired a negative ad attacking Gibbs’ criminal record for misdemeanor drug possession and shoplifting charges, comparing her to the bombastic and hard-partying cast of characters on the hit MTV reality show “Jersey Shore.”
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The district:
New Jersey’s 3rd District encompasses parts of Ocean and Burlington Counties in South Jersey, including the city of Toms River on the Jersey Shore.
The district voted for Obama by five points, 52% to 47% in the 2012 election, but flipped to vote for President Donald Trump by six points, 51% to 45%, in 2016, meaning it will be a highly-watched district in 2020.
The money race:
Kim is a prolific and talented fundraiser, and amassed a significant cash advantage while Richter battled through his bitter primary fight.
Kim raised $6.7 million, spent nearly $6 million, and had around $852,000 in cash on hand, according to Federal Election Commission filings, while Richter raised $1.4 million, spent $1.3 million, and had a little under $101,000 in cash on hand.
What some of the experts say:
The Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics rated the race as “likely Democratic” while Inside Elections rated it as “safe Democratic.”
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