Crime and affordability are top issues in the 40th Assembly District

With just a few days left until primary day on June 25, the race for a state Assembly seat in Queens is heating up.

Incumbent Ron Kim is defending his seat against two Democratic primary challengers, and candidates say the top issues are crime and affordability.

Elected in 2012, Democrat Ron Kim represents the state’s majority-Asian 40th Assembly District, which spans the Flushing, Queens, area.

“It’s a neighborhood I grew up in. And it’s a neighborhood I’m raising my family in,” said Kim, a father of two.

He left South Korea for the United States at the age of six and grew up in New York. Kim got his political start on the City Council, under current Sen. John Liu, a Queens Democrat.

Kim gained recognition during the pandemic, advocating for nursing home families.

“Right now, we are going through a moment of crisis in Flushing. There’s a shrinking, out-of-control middle class, you know, mega-buildings – multi-million dollar complexes going up and people stuck at the bottom of the social ladder,” Kim said.

Kim said he works with individuals across the political spectrum. This weekend, Mayor Eric Adams endorsed his campaign, and Kim told NY1 he also expected support from Democratic Socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. But he faces two Democratic challengers.

“For the last 12 years he has not been engaged with the community and has not respected the voice of the community and he has fundamentally failed,” said Yi candidate Andy Chen, explaining why he is running .

Originally from China, Chen moved to the district after his unsuccessful 2021 city council bid in neighboring Elmhurst, Queens. Chen owns and works at his medical supply business in Flushing.

Chen also cited support from the American Chinese Commerce Association, a group with ties to the Chinese Communist Party. He denied any connection with the political group.

Chen says Kim doesn’t prioritize security.

“We’re dealing with a lot of Asian hatred and hate crimes, so I think that’s the number one issue we need to address to keep our people safe,” Chen said.

During the pandemic, Kim reversed his previous pro-Defund the Police stance, calling for the National Guard on the subway.

“I was the first to ask Governor Hochul to work with the National Guard at the height of the attacks on Asian Americans to keep us safe,” Kim said.

Both candidates support expanding gifted and talented programs in public schools. Kim also wants a new specialized high school in Queens.

Nearly 70 percent of the district’s residents identify as Asian American, according to data from the CUNY Graduate Center. Recently, some Asian voters have voted against Democrats, although the district favored President Joe Biden in 2020.

However, data shows more voters in the district supported Republican Lee Zeldin against Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2022. Last cycle, Kim barely beat his Republican opponent.

“They don’t see representation addressing these issues, so they feel disappointed,” Chen said.

Also from China, the third candidate, Dao Yin, is a community activist.

He said his main issues were “education, transportation, elderly care as well as the overall quality of life of the people (who) live here.”

But a recent report claims he made fake donations to obtain public funds to finance his campaign. He said he was participating in an internal investigation.

“It was a mistake on the part of my campaign committee, but it’s a shame that it happened,” Yin said.

All three candidates also agree that suspending congestion pricing was a good idea.