NJ congressman asks opponent to stop using ‘hurtful words’ in attack ads

Republican challenger Tricia Flanagan accused U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J. 3rd District, of "playing the race card" in his request for her to stop using the phrase "he is not one of us" in her advertising.

Flanagan uses the phrase in her latest ad.

"He doesn't represent the people of our district. He doesn't represent our interests. He is not one of us. This is MAGA country. We supported our president.  Andy Kim voted for impeachment twice," Flanagan says in the video.

In a 12-tweet message, Kim said he has heard the "hurtful words many times as an Asian American" and called its use "disrespectful" to he and other AAPIs.

"The words try to paint me as an 'other.' These are words of division not unity," Kim wrote, citing other examples of when the phrase was used against him and others.

Kim said he should have spoken up when the phrase was used in advertising by Tom McArthur during the 2018 congressional election.

"I thought maybe it would just go away. But your new usage clearly shows that we need to stand up against hurtful words and let people know it’s not right," Kim said.

Flanagan on her Twitter account accused Kim of "playing the race card." She said the reference in the video is about politics and nothing else.

"Andy Kim is an outsider because he’s a socialist. He’s bad for America because he’ll do whatever his Biden & Pelosi overlords tell him to," Flanagan said.

Flanagan is the only declared challenger in the race.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ