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Patty Kim (politician)

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Patty Kim
Kim at a press conference in 2022
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
from the 103rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2013[1]
Preceded byRon Buxton
Personal details
Born (1973-07-29) July 29, 1973 (age 51)[2]
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseJohn Sider
Residence(s)Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Alma materBoston College
ProfessionLegislator
WebsiteRep. Patty Kim

Patty H. Kim (born July 29, 1973) is an American politician. A Democrat, she is a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives representing the 103rd district, serving since 2013. She previously served on the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania City Council.

Early life and education

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Kim was born on July 29, 1973.[2] Kim graduated from Langley High School in 1991 and Boston College in 1995.[2] Kim's father immigrated from Korea after the Korean War.[3][4]

Television career

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Prior to her career in elected office, Kim was a television reporter[3] as well as a television production assistant; associate producer, and news anchor.[2]

Political career

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Harrisburg City Council

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Kim served on the Harrisburg City Council from 2006 to 2012, serving two terms.[2] She served as vice president of the council.[5]

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

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Elections

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In 2011, Kim announced that she would run for state House District 103 the next year, challenging incumbent Ron Buxton, a fellow Democrat, in the primary election.[5] Buxton ultimately decided to not run for reelection.[6] In the 2012 primary, Kim defeating Roy Christ, Karl Lewis Singleton, and Gloria E. Martin-Roberts, receiving 28.81% of the vote; Christ received 28.03%, Singleton 24.4%, and Martin-Roberts 18.76%.[7] She ran unopposed in the general election.[8]

In the 2014 election, Kim defeated Gina L. Roberson in the Democratic primary, receiving 78.42% of the vote to Roberson's 21.58%.[9] Kim ran unopposed in the 2014 general election.[10]

In 2016, Kim defeated opponent Richard Soto in the Democratic primary,[11] receiving 89.41% of the vote to Soto's 10.58%.[12] She ran unopposed in the 2016 general election.[13]

In the 2018 election, Kim ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.[14] In the November 2018 general election, Kim defeated Republican nominee Anthony Thomas Harrell, receiving 83.98% of the vote to Harrell's 16.02%.[15]

In the 2020 election, Kim defeated opponent Kelvin Maxson in the Democratic primary,[16] receiving 84.95% of the vote to Maxson's 15.05%. She ran unopposed in the 2020 general election.[17]

In the 2022 election, Kim defeated opponent Heather MacDonald in the Democratic primary,[18] receiving 87.37% of the vote to Macdonald's 12.63%. In the November 2022 general election, Kim defeated Republican nominee David D Buell, receiving 89.1% of the vote to Buell's 10.9%.[19]

In the 2024 election, Kim defeated Republican Nick DiFrancisco to become the representative for Pennsylvania Senate District 15.[20]

Tenure

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Over several sessions in the state House, Kim was a leader in efforts to increase in Pennsylvania's state minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour.[21][22] Kim also sponsored legislation that would expunge the criminal records of persons convicted of non-violent crimes who do not commit another crime for at least seven years.[11]

Kim, who is Korean American, is the first Asian-American to serve in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.[3]

In 2015, Kim recruited six other House Democrats from inner-city districts across the state to go to block parties to reach out to voters to increase awareness for more education spending in state budget.[23]

In 2019, Kim supported calls by Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse for a state-appointed receiver to assume control of the long-troubled Harrisburg School District, which has been plagued by financial mismanagement, poor academic performance, and high employee turnover.[24][25]

In 2019, Kim was the sole Democrat in the state House to support a pension reform proposal that would switch a traditional pension plan for state workers to a 401(k)-style plan.[26]

Kim currently sits on the Appropriations, Education, Finance, Insurance, and Local Government committees.[27]

On October 19, 2023, Kim announced her campaign for Pennsylvania's 15th State Senate district, held by Republican John DiSanto. Kim also announced she would not seek reelection to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.[28]

Personal life

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Kim is married to John Sider; they have two children.[4]

Kim is a major supporter and sponsor of the Tri-Community Basketball Association.[29]

References

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  1. ^ "SESSION OF 2013 - 197TH OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY - No. 1" (PDF). Legislative Journal. Pennsylvania House of Representatives. January 1, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Patty Kim". Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Murphy, Jan (January 1, 2013). "Swearing-in Day at the state Capitol made history for Harrisburg and the state". The Patriot News. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  4. ^ a b "Biography". Rep. Patty Kim. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  5. ^ a b Vickers, Robert (November 12, 2011). "Harrisburg Councilwoman Patty Kim to challenge Rep. Ron Buxton". The Patriot-News. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  6. ^ Jan Murphy, Pennsylvania Rep. Ronald Buxton says he won't run again Archived May 11, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, PennLive.com (December 8, 2011).
  7. ^ "Pennsylvania Elections - Office Results".
  8. ^ "Pennsylvania Elections - Office Results".
  9. ^ "Pennsylvania Elections - Office Results".
  10. ^ "Pennsylvania Elections - Office Results".
  11. ^ a b "Patty Kim crushes challenger in Democratic primary race to represent Harrisburg". PennLive.com. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  12. ^ "Pennsylvania Elections - Office Results".
  13. ^ "Pennsylvania Elections - Office Results".
  14. ^ "Pennsylvania Elections - Office Results".
  15. ^ "Pennsylvania Elections - Office Results".
  16. ^ "Pennsylvania Elections - Office Results".
  17. ^ "Pennsylvania Elections - Office Results".
  18. ^ "Pennsylvania Elections - Office Results".
  19. ^ "Pennsylvania Elections - Office Results".
  20. ^ Hoopes, Zack; DeJesus, Ivey (November 6, 2024). "Patty Kim secures Pa. Senate seat, one of Democrats' three targets to flip". PennLive. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  21. ^ Jan Murphy, Gov. Tom Wolf wants Pa. to move toward a $15 an hour minimum wage for all workers Archived May 11, 2019, at the Wayback Machine (January 30, 2019).
  22. ^ Lasherica Thornton, A boost in the minimum wage in this year's Pa. budget? Archived May 11, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, Philadelphia Inquirer (June 1, 2018).
  23. ^ "Pa. House Dems 'Whip' and 'Nae-Nae' for budget awareness". WPMT. August 31, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  24. ^ Jan Murphy, State takeover of Harrisburg schools may not produce the results advocates seeks Archived May 11, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, PennLive.com (April 29, 2019).
  25. ^ Harrisburg lawmakers back mayor’s request for state takeover of city schools Archived May 11, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, PennLive.com (April 24, 2019).
  26. ^ Jan Murphy, Pa. lawmakers cling to pensions after pushing 401(k)-style plans Archived May 11, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, PennLive.com (May 6, 2019).
  27. ^ "Representative Patty Kim". The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  28. ^ "Pennsylvania State Representative Patty Kim announces State Senate run". ABC27. October 19, 2023. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  29. ^ "State Rep. Patty Kim - Tri-Community Basketball Association". Tri-Community Basketball Association. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
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