Andy Kim

In the 2024 Senate race for NJ Senate seat, Andy Kim (D) won with 53.6% of the vote, defeating Curtis Bashaw (R) who received 44.0%. 4 additional candidates split the remaining vote. Andy Kim's 9.6-point lead over the runner-up showed solid but not overwhelming support.

This was an open-seat race with no incumbent running — Cory A. Booker (D) previously held the seat. Open seats typically attract stronger candidates and heavier spending from both parties. The 2024 presidential election drove higher voter turnout, which can help or hurt down-ballot candidates depending on the top of the ticket. This seat will likely stay on party watch lists as potentially competitive in future cycles.

In the 2018 House race for NJ-03, Andy Kim (D) won with 50.0% of the vote, defeating Tom Macarthur (R) who received 48.7%. A third candidate also appeared on the ballot. The 1.3-point margin made this one of the more competitive races of the cycle.

This race flipped the seat from Republican to Democrat. Thomas Macarthur (R) held the seat previously but either retired or lost in a primary. Party flips at the seat level are relatively rare and often signal shifting district dynamics. As a Democrat, Andy Kim benefited from the historical midterm penalty against the president's party — with a Republican in the White House, the opposition typically gains seats.