▲ Democratic candidate Dan Koh (41, Korean name Koh Won-young) speaks at a podium after winning a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in the midterm elections held on November 3 (local time).
Korean-American Democratic politician Dan Koh (41, Korean name Koh Won-young) has been elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in the midterm elections.
With this victory, Koh becomes the 7th Korean-American federal lawmaker in U.S. history, following former Representative Jay Kim (Republican, California), current Senator Andy Kim (Democrat, New Jersey), former Representative Michelle Steel (Republican, California), and current Representatives Young Kim (Republican, California), Marilyn Strickland (Democrat, Washington), and Dave Min (Democrat, California).
The Associated Press projected Koh's victory in the U.S. House race for Massachusetts' 6th Congressional District at 10:24 p.m. that day.
According to AP tabulations, as of 10:26 p.m. with 14% of the vote counted, Koh led significantly with 62.7% of the vote, far ahead of Republican candidate Micah Queenin Jones (37.3%).
Massachusetts' 6th Congressional District, where Koh ran, is a strongly Democratic-leaning area, and the election analysis firm The Cook Political Report had classified the district as "Solid Democratic," a firmly safe seat for the party.
Koh was born to a Korean father and a Lebanese mother, and uses the Jeju Koh clan surname following his father.
His grandfather, the late Dr. Koh Kwang-lim, who was from Jeju Island, was a diplomat and international legal scholar who served as a minister and chargé d'affaires at the South Korean Embassy in the United States in the early 1960s.
His father, Harvard University Professor Howard Koh (Koh Kyung-joo), served as Assistant Secretary for Health in the Barack Obama administration.
His uncle, Dr. Harold Koh (Koh Hong-joo), served as Dean of Yale Law School and Legal Adviser of the Department of State under the Obama administration.
Koh graduated from Harvard University and Harvard Business School, and later served as chief of staff to former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.
He subsequently built his career in local and federal government, including serving as a senior White House aide in the Joe Biden administration.
During this election campaign, he received endorsements from former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Koh previously ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Massachusetts' 3rd Congressional District in 2018, but was defeated in the Democratic primary.
Returning for a second bid after eight years, Koh campaigned on key pledges including easing the burden of living costs, supporting working-class and middle-class families, and defending democracy.
He has also emphasized the need to check the policies of the Donald Trump administration.
In previous media interviews, he expressed interest in strengthening the South Korea-U.S. alliance, promoting diversity in American society, and addressing the living cost burdens of ordinary citizens.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.