Grace Lee wins New York Senate seat as Korean American candidates gain

Grace Lee became the first Korean American elected to the New York State Senate, defeating Republican Jason Murillo with more than 80% of the vote in District 27, according to Korea Daily.

The result marked a milestone in Korean American representation alongside reported victories in municipal and congressional races. But Korea Daily’s account also included a legislative defeat and contests whose outcomes remained unsettled.

Korea Daily reported that Ron Kim faced no opponent in New York State Assembly District 40, securing a path to an eighth term. Edward Lee lost the Assembly District 36 race to Democrat Diana Moreno.

In Nassau County, Julie Jin held a narrow lead in the Legislature District 9 contest. The report did not give a final outcome for that race.

In New Jersey, Palisades Park Mayor Paul Kim won re-election against Stephanie Chang, according to Korea Daily. His running mates, Lucy Yang and Justin Kang, also won council seats.

At the federal level, Korea Daily reported that Dan Koh won Massachusetts’ 6th Congressional District. The publication identified him as the seventh Korean American in U.S. congressional history.

The report described Washington Rep. Marilyn Strickland and California Rep. Dave Min as moving toward re-election victories, while Rep. Young Kim faced a closer contest. Although its broader summary said at least three Korean Americans had secured federal positions, its detailed account did not explicitly finalize the outcomes for Strickland and Min.

The reported wins establish milestones for Lee and Koh, but the source leaves several other outcomes unresolved. Julie Jin’s lead and the re-election prospects described for Strickland, Min and Young Kim should not be read as final results.