Republican hotel owner Curtis Bashaw is running for Senate in New Jersey against Democratic congressman Andy Kim.
Curtis Bashaw, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate seat representing New Jersey, is actively engaging with voters at events like the Bergen County senior festival. He is emphasizing his credentials as a fiscal conservative and a hotel owner from Cape May. Bashaw, who is openly gay and married, advocates for limited government interference in people’s personal lives.
Bashaw’s campaign strategy positions him as a moderate candidate seeking to fill the Senate seat left vacant by the disgraced former Democratic senator Robert Menendez. Bashaw secured the Republican nomination by defeating a candidate endorsed by former President Donald J. Trump. His candidacy will test the Republican Party’s appeal to centrist voters in a politically polarized environment.
New Jersey has a history of alternating between Democratic and Republican governors, but it has been over five decades since a Republican senator was elected. Bashaw and his supporters acknowledge the challenges he faces in winning the Senate seat, recognizing that the state’s Democratic voter base, outnumbering Republicans by 930,000, presents a significant hurdle.
Despite contributing $1.8 million to his campaign, Bashaw lags behind his Democratic opponent, Representative Andy Kim, in fundraising. Kim, who recently launched his first television ad, plans to maintain a strong presence on the airwaves leading up to the election. The high voter turnout expected in the presidential race is likely to benefit Democrats in New Jersey, adding to the obstacles Bashaw must overcome in his bid for the Senate seat.
Source: The NY Times
