Asm. Ron Kim
Ron Kim (D-AD-40) has held his Queens-based seat since 2013, but his electoral standing reflects meaningful volatility beneath a D+37 partisan lean: after winning by 75.8 points in 2018, he narrowly survived a 2022 challenge with just a 2.2-point margin against Sharon A. Liao, then rebounded to an 11.0-point win over Philip S.C. Wang in 2024; the district is rated Safe D across all 2026 modeled scenarios, with a base lean of D+22. AD-40 is a majority-Asian district — 65.4% Asian, 16.1% Hispanic, and 14.8% white — with 51.9% Democratic registration versus 15.0% Republican, a poverty rate of 19.6%, a homeownership rate of 41.1%, and a median household income of $64,479, reflecting a dense, lower-to-middle-income urban constituency. Kim's 2025 legislative portfolio of 70 sponsored bills is led by Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation at 16 bills, followed by Public Health at 6, Arts and Cultural Affairs and Tax at 5 each, and Elder Law at 4, indicating a broad civic and quality-of-life focus. No committee chairmanship or lobbying sector data appears in this brief.AI
Topic Focus AI
Topics extracted by AI from joint Senate-Assembly committee hearing transcripts and floor debate. Tag size reflects number of supporting citations.
Key Issues AI
Key issue areas derived from floor debate speeches and sponsored bill law sections.
Legislative Activity (2025–2026)
Bill sponsorship from NYS Open Legislation API. Hearing appearances from joint Senate-Assembly committee transcripts. Floor debate from official Assembly session transcripts (Granicus, 2023–present).
Bill Focus Areas 2025–2026
Grouped by law section from sponsored Assembly bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation API.
Floor Speeches: In Support (25) AI
Sponsor explained many insurers already cover acupuncture because it saves money, and acupuncturists are healthcare providers requiring three years of medical training. He shared personal experience with his father using acupuncture for cancer pain management.
Explained the bill requires large group insurers to cover acupuncture upon healthcare provider prescription. Noted some insurers already provide coverage because it saves money, and acupuncturists require three years of medical training.
Floor Speeches: In Opposition AI
No recorded floor speeches in opposition found in our transcript archive for this member.
Electoral History AD-40
General Elections
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Ron Kim 55.5% (13,481) | Philip S.C. Wang 44.5% (10,814) | 11.0pts |
| 2022 | Ron Kim 51.1% (8,051) | Sharon A. Liao 48.9% (7,695) | ⚡ 2.2pts |
| 2020 | Ron Kim 83.6% (18,214) | Steven Lee 16.4% (3,566) | 67.2pts |
| 2018 | Ron Kim 87.9% (12,284) | John N. Scandalios 12.1% (1,689) | 75.8pts |
| 2016 | Ron Kim 75.3% (16,479) | Miriam M. Rodriquez 24.7% (5,419) | 50.6pts |
| 2014 | Ronald T. Kim 67.2% (6,292) | Philip N. Gim 32.8% (3,077) | 34.4pts |
| 2012 | Ron Kim 67.7% (13,461) | Philip Gim 32.3% (6,409) | 35.4pts |
| 2010 | Inez D. Barron 93.6% (16,527) | Kenneth Waluyn 6.4% (1,127) | 87.2pts |
| 2008 | Inez D. Barron 96.6% (29,039) | Kenneth Waluyn 3.4% (1,018) | 93.2pts |
| 2006 | Diane Gordon 94.1% (12,316) | Godfrey Jelks 5.9% (767) | 88.2pts |
| 2004 | Diane Gordon 95.0% (25,204) | Mohammad S. Qureshi 5.0% (1,338) | 90.0pts |
| 2002 | Diane Gordon 94.4% (13,496) | Lorraine Foote 4.8% (681) | 89.6pts |
| 2000 | Diane Gordon 89.0% (20,767) | Edward Griffith 8.7% (2,032) | 80.3pts |
| 1998 | Edward Griffith 96.2% (13,293) | Amelia Smith-Parker 2.4% (326) | 93.8pts |
| 1996 | Edward Griffith 96.6% (17,524) | Milton Williams 2.5% (458) | 94.1pts |
Primary Elections
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 (Democratic) | Ron Kim 70.5% (3,659) | Steven Lee 29.5% (1,533) | 41.0pts |
| 2018 (Reform) | John N. Scandalios 97.6% (124) | Ronald Kim 0.8% (1) | 96.8pts |
Source: NYS Board of Elections certified results. ⚡ = margin under 10 pts. District history reflects 2022 redistricted boundaries.
Vulnerability Index AD-40
Base lean: D+22
Scenario model: ±5pt national environment shift applied to district base lean (D+22). Base lean blends voter registration (40%) with recent contested general election margins (60%), using up to the last 4 general elections with margins under 40 points. Ratings: Safe D/R = 15+ pts, Likely = 8–14 pts, Lean = 3–7 pts, Toss-up = within 2 pts (Assembly districts are smaller and more homogeneous than Senate districts, so tighter thresholds are used). Generic ballot from Silver Bulletin (Nate Silver), as of 6/18/2026. Not a prediction — reflects structural competitiveness under different cycle environments.
District 40 Profile
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024).
Voter Registration
Demographics
Commute Mode
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2024). Race and ethnicity figures may not sum to 100% — Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity category that overlaps with racial groups.
Lobbying Activity 2024
Top Lobbying Issues
Top Organizations Lobbying This Member
Source: NY Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government via data.ny.gov. Counts reflect bi-monthly disclosure records — not individual meetings.