State Rep. Patty Kim (D-103) launched her campaign for the 15th state Senate District on Thursday and already has the support of a long list of Pennsylvania Democrats and state labor leaders.
Kim, who was first elected to State House in 2012stated that she is “very excited to represent even more citizens and families in this community” in a press release announcing the launch of the campaign.
“I know well the problems my neighbors face because these are the people I live next door to, the people I run community projects with, the people I see at the grocery store, the restaurants, and the people I worship with,” Kim said.
GOP state Sen. John DiSanto is currently serving his second term as representative of the 15th District, which covers much of Dauphin County.
Kim said DiSanto “appears poised to run” for another term even though he made the announcement announced in 2016 his retirement after the expiration of his second term.
DiSanto has not confirmed whether he will seek re-election. He currently serves as chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance, vice chairman of the Committee on Urban Affairs and Housing, and is a member of the committees on education, labor and industry, and transportation.
Kim said DiSanto “has let us down with eight years of lack of energy, narrow-mindedness and lack of good ideas,” adding that she supports raising the state minimum wage to $15 an hour, providing paid family leave and addressing gun violence, and increasing access and affordability of healthcare.
Before serving in the House of Representatives, Kim was a television journalist and in 2005 won a seat on the Harrisburg City Council.
On Thursday morning, Kim posted a video of her statement on social media, which includes social media posts Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Campaign Committee reading “We are with her!!”
This race will likely be on Pennsylvania Democrats’ radar in 2024 as they try to flip the Senate. In 2020, President Joe Biden raised the current district composition by 15 points over then-President Donald Trump, according to Kim’s campaign data.
DiSanto defeated Democratic challenger George Scott by 3 points in 2020.
Kim also announced that she would not seek re-election to the 103rd House District to focus on her campaign for the 15th Senate seat.
