New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim reveals a shock in his Senate flooring desk

New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim reveals a shock in his Senate flooring desk

Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., discovered a shock in a Senate flooring desk drawer shortly after being sworn in because the state’s first Asian American senator. 

He discovered that he was sitting at a desk etched with the identify of an Asian American trailblazer: Daniel Okay. Inouye, a former senator who grew to become the primary Japanese American elected to Congress.

Inouye grew to become Hawaii’s first congressman after it grew to become a state, and served within the military throughout World Struggle II — enlisting shortly after the strike on Pearl Harbor. 

“I discovered Senate flooring desks have drawers the place each Senator who used that desk carves their identify,” Kim wrote in a submit on X on Wednesday. “I simply pulled out my drawer. 1 identify jumped out.” 

Inouye died in 2012 on the age of 88. After he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, he grew to become the primary and solely U.S. senator to be the recipient of each the Medal of Freedom and the Medal of Honor. 

“WWII Medal of Honor. Senator for ~ 50 yrs. AAPI trailblazer,” Kim wrote of Inouye. 

Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, in 2011.Brooks Kraft / Corbis / Getty Photos file

Inouye was the second-longest serving senator, representing Hawaii for 49 years. Hawaii’s largest airport was renamed after the Honolulu native in 2017, in accordance with Hawaii’s Transportation Division. 

Kim, the primary Korean American senator, represented New Jersey’s third Congressional District earlier than defeating Republican Curtis Bashaw to win the seat of former Sen. Bob Menendez. Asian People are the quickest rising racial group within the state, with the variety of their voters surging 99% from 2000 to 2022.

“I can’t consider I get to take a seat on the desk of a hero of mine,” Kim mentioned. 


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