Remember Andy Kim?

Of course you do.

Then again, he’s been almost forgotten about since Tammy Murphy’s departure from the Senate race two months ago abruptly ended a very spirited intra-party competition.

Kim may realize that himself.

So, his campaign just announced two ads – one on TV and one on radio – that will run through the June 4 primary. That will keep him visible.

The TV ad suggests that government always works well for corporations and the high and mighty.

That’s why Kim is needed in the Senate to work for average people in regard to such things as fighting to lower health costs.

More importantly, perhaps, the ad shows Kim literally on the floor helping to clean up the Capitol after Jan. 6.

The radio ad presents the same theme and also mentions that Kim is a “son of immigrants, grew up here and is raising two young sons here.”

Kim is opposed in the primary by Larry Hamm and Patricia Campos Medina, but he’s not expected to have much trouble winning. You have to figure these ads are geared to November.                                                       ****

Over on the Republican side. Christine Serrano Glassner is still basking in the glory of being endorsed by Donald Trump.

Since Trump made his pick about 10 days ago, other national Republicans have chimed in.

Ben Carson endorsed Serrano Glassner earlier this week.

It’s customary, one supposes, for some national Republicans to follow Trump, but, really now, how much weight is an endorsement by Ben Carson going to have?
At any rate, candidate Curtis Bashaw was just at the southern border, which seems to be a prerequisite these days for GOP candidates. He promised to make border security a priority.

As has been stated previously:

The Republicans’ signature issue is the border.

The Democrats’ signature issue is women’s reproductive rights.

Looking ahead to November, an easy observation is that there will be no contest.

After all, Democrats have won the U.S. Senate seat for more than 50 years now and the two GOP primary candidates, a hotel and inn owner from Cape May and the mayor of Mendham, (population about 5,000) are not well-known political figures.

Kim, as a congressman, may not be particularly well known outside of the political class either. But he already has a huge following of activists behind him – the people who prompted the First Lady to get out of the race.

There is one possibility that has to worry Team Kim.

What happens if Bob Menendez is acquitted?

The trial is ongoing and we have seen photos of bundles of cash – money found in the senator’s home. That looks pretty incriminating to say the least.

But the defense has yet to make its case and with juries, you just never know,

Menendez already gave up plans to run as a Democrat, but he has said he may run as an independent.

The “may” part of that statement suggests he would consider running if he is found not guilty.

Menendez running as an independent probably would not win, but he would be assured to get a significant amount of votes – votes that otherwise would go to Kim.

We probably will know the outcome of the Menendez trial sometime in June.

The political world in New Jersey will be watching closely.

And Andy Kim will be watching very closely.