U.S. Rep. Andy Kim assists a staggering opponent during debate

U.S. Congressman Andy Kim (42, Democrat, New Jersey), who is running for the U.S. Senate in the upcoming election on November 5, made headlines during a TV debate on Sunday (local time) when he assisted his Republican opponent, who was staggering due to health issues.

According to the New Jersey Globe, which hosted the debate, Kim immediately rushed to Curtis Bashaw, the Republican candidate, when Bashaw suddenly stopped speaking and began to stagger during the debate, which started at 8 p.m. on Monday. Kim asked, "Are you okay?" and helped prevent the lectern from toppling over. Bashaw then left the debate stage for about 10 minutes to recuperate before returning.

After the debate, Kim did not mention Bashaw's health issues but posted on X, stating that he was glad he had the chance to show the people of New Jersey what kind of senator he would be and how he would work tirelessly to solve problems.

Kim gained national attention in January 2021 when he was seen cleaning up trash left in the Capitol after supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the building to protest the election results. New Jersey has been a Democratic stronghold, with the party continuously holding its Senate seat since 1972. Local forecasts suggest Kim's Senate bid is highly likely to succeed. If elected, Kim would become the first Korean-American U.S. Senator.


김보라 기자 purple@donga.com