[Meet the Candidates: David Kim]
“There will be special luck on the third attempt.”
David Kim is hopeful that ‘the third time’s the charm.’ After two close defeats, candidate David Kim has now gained a sense of comfort. He explains that this time around, he has hired a professional campaign consultant to run an efficient and rational campaign. The plan is to focus on undecided voters who are likely to vote.
The following is an edited excerpt from the interview.
-You visited residents’ houses over the weekend. What were the responses?
“I focused on East L.A. I went with community leaders, especially Latino community leaders, and when I introduced myself as a public defender working in juvenile court, they were very welcoming. Most of them said that they didn’t know who the incumbent was and that they were just voting for the name. They were frustrated that the government was spending so much money on foreign wars when they were struggling to pay for housing, education, etc.”
-What is your most important pledge?
“The 34th District is facing challenges, ranking among the top 20 poorest districts in the country. My main focus is to address the fact that no one is doing anything about the rising cost of living. So I’m going to write a law that separates politics from corporate interests. Next, I’m pledging to guarantee a minimum wage and a basic income for people under the age of 18. From birth to adulthood, I’ll give them a set amount of $18,000 in total. Without these measures, our district would be in a deeper hole. We will phase out student loan forgiveness and dramatically lower prescription drug prices.”
-You also pointed out communication between elected officials and voters.
“If elected, I plan to create constituent leagues and formalize local channels of communication. At the same time, I will make sure that members of local government meet with their constituents on a regular basis at a set time and space. The incumbent has been criticized for not doing these things.”
-What about the official endorsements from big names this time around?
“Indeed. The Latino community, in particular, has expressed significant disappointment with the incumbent and has been knocking on our door. Former L.A. City Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg has endorsed. We’re also trying to get our agenda out there and get as many endorsements as possible. This is a different approach than in past elections.”
-On what neighborhoods are you focusing on?
“Our campaign efforts are concentrated on Highland Park, Eagle Rock, and East LA. These are my opponent’s strongholds. If we can flip these neighborhoods, we have a good chance of winning.”
-What are your expectations for the “K-Team” of Korean-American candidates?
“We must all take responsibility for not adequately caring for our seniors, especially the first-generation immigrants. I plan to meet with them and listen to their concerns as the economy gets tougher and tougher. For reference, the voter turnout of Korean Americans in 2022 was only about 30%. I hope they will participate more.”
BY BRIAN CHOI, JUNHAN PARK [ichoi@koreadaily.com]
