Kim’s early endorsers include Irvine’s State Senator, State Assemblymember, and County Supervisor
IRVINE, CA – Irvine Vice Mayor Tammy Kim officially announced her campaign for Mayor today. Kim is a longtime Irvine resident and community leader who has served on the City Council since 2020.
In announcing her campaign, Kim released the following statement:
“I love Irvine, and I’m running for Mayor because I want to protect our reputation as a global city focused on innovation, opportunity, equity, and sustainability. As Mayor, I’ll fight to enhance public safety, build necessary housing, promote economic development, and work with urgency to address climate change.
“There are serious divisions in our city right now, which have been magnified by the revelations of a bribery scheme and FBI investigation. I believe I am the candidate best qualified to bring people together and implement meaningful reforms to ensure transparency and accountability. I’m excited to officially begin my campaign, and I’m looking forward to the many conversations with voters that lay ahead.”
Kim also released the following list of early endorsers:
- Congresswoman Judy Chu
- Congressman Andy Kim
- Congresswoman Grace Meng
- California State Treasurer John Chiang (Ret.)
- State Senator Dave Min
- State Assemblymember Mike Fong
- State Assemblymember Cottie Petrie Norris
- State Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva
- Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley
- Irvine Mayor Sukhee Kang (Ret.)
- Irvine Councilmember Kathleen Treseder
- Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung
- Santa Ana Mayor Valarie Amezcua
- Buena Park Councilmember Joyce Ahn
- Garden Grove Councilmember Kim Nguyen
- Los Angeles Councilmember John Lee
- Rancho Palos Verdes Councilmember Paul Seo
ABOUT TAMMY KIM:
Tammy Kim is a nonprofit leader, educator, and mother who has served on the Irvine City Council since 2020. Tammy won her election with more votes than any City Council candidate in Irvine’s history. If elected, Tammy will be the first Korean American woman to be directly elected mayor of a “Top 100” city in the United States.
Tammy currently represents Irvine on several regional boards including: the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), Orange County Council of Governments (OCCOG), Irvine Community Land Trust, Orange County Public Libraries, Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control, League of California Cities, Orange County Division Board of Directors, the Orange County Power Authority’s Cities Advisory Committee, and the Orange County Fire Authority.
Tammy is the founder of the Korean American Center, an Irvine-based nonprofit that merged with Korean Community Services to become one of the largest social service agencies serving the Asian American community. Her experience in the private sector includes working as an executive in technology firms and running her own small business
Prior to her election to the City Council, Tammy served as a Finance Commissioner for the City of Irvine, as Chair of the Language Access Committee for the Orange County Registrar of Voters, on the Steering Committee of the Irvine Global Village Festival, and on the Education Advisory Council for our local State Assemblymember.
