Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) took a stand against anti-Asian hate, condemning racist comments made by podcaster and Trump delegate, Mike Crispi, who falsely accused Kim of wearing a North Korean flag on his tie during a recent New Jersey Senate debate on October 15. 

In a post on X, Crispi criticized Kim’s appearance during the debate, insinuating his allegiance and loyalties are with North Korea. 

Crispi, the host of the conservative podcast Unafraid, has built a reputation for his conservative political commentary and outspoken social media presence. After his initial comment on Kim’s tie, Crispi posted a video to social media addressing Kim and accusing his policies of being “communist.” 

The Korean American Rep. responded to the racist comments in a lengthy thread on X, condemning the xenophobic rhetoric and highlighting the growing wave of hostility against Asian Americans in politics. 

Unfortunately, Kim is not isolated. In his thread, Kim brings to light instances where other Asian Americans vying for a seat in Congress have similarly been the targets of hate speech and baseless accusations. 

Kim cited recent hate speech used against State Sen. Dave Min (D-CA) another Korean American campaigning for Congress, whose campaign yard signs were vandalized with anti-Asian slurs in Huntington Beach, CA. 

The Rep. also condemned baseless accusations made against Derek Tran, who’s campaigning to represent California’s District 45 in Congress. The Vietnamese American candidate faced similar racialized attacks as his opponent, Rep. Michelle Steel, R-CA, distributed campaign mailers falsely accusing Tran of being a communist. 

He says these racialized attacks further contribute to the hateful framing of Asian Americans as unwelcome foreigners, forcing Asian Americans out of political spaces and ostracizing them. 

“These attacks push the ‘perpetual foreigner’ trope that Asians have allegiance to and could be spies for another country like China or North Korea,” Kim expressed in the thread. 

Hate crimes targeting Asian Americans have been a persistent issue with rising cases since the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Pew Research Center, about one-third of Asian Americans know another Asian person who’s been threatened or attacked due to their race or ethnicity since the pandemic.

Furthermore, a combined report from Stop AAPI Hate highlights how online threats and violence against Asian communities have intensified since January 2023. South Asian Americans, specifically, have faced staggering levels of hostility and discrimination. 

Despite these issues, Asian Americans remain vastly underrepresented in Congress. As of 2023, only 20 Asian Americans served in the House and Senate combined, despite Asian Americans representing over 7% of the U.S. population. 

If elected, Rep. Andy Kim would become the first Korean American Senator in history, a potentially important milestone that reflects the need to diversify American leadership. 

Making space for Asian Americans in positions of power goes beyond diverse representation; it’s about challenging the structural barriers and stereotypes that marginalize AAPI communities.

AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc.

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