New Jersey’s next senator will either be a three-term senator or a political newcomer.
Andy Kim, who has represented the state’s 3rd Congressional District since 2019, easily won the Democratic primary after his closest rival, New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy, called off her campaign. . He will face Republican businessman Curtis Bashaw, who is not currently holding elected office. Both men are running for the seat vacated by Bob Menendez, who resigned in August after being convicted on federal bribery charges.
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This election is not expected to be close, and the Cook Political Report calls it a “certain victory for the Democratic Party.” Opinion polls show Mr. Kim with a 5-15 percentage point advantage over Mr. Bashaw, making it the first time since 1972 that a Republican won a U.S. Senate election in New Jersey.
Kim entered Congress in 2019 as the first Democratic Party member of Korean descent. His parents immigrated to the United States before he was born and raised him in South Jersey. He graduated from the University of Chicago, studied in England as a Rhodes scholar, and then served as a civilian consultant in Afghanistan. He also worked briefly as an intern at the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Kim ran for office in 2018 after serving as former President Barack Obama’s national security adviser. Kim flipped the seat by unseating incumbent Tom MacArthur, who had been a Republican since 2010. Kim gained national attention for cleaning the U.S. Capitol after the riot on U.S. time. January 6, 2021.
Kim ran for the U.S. Senate on the platform of “restoring integrity.” The message extends beyond Menendez, whose initial refusal to resign was the impetus for Kim’s candidacy. In 2022, Kim introduced a bill that would prohibit members of Congress and their families from owning or trading in eligible investments. Although the bill was not passed, it would also prohibit lobbying activities by members of Congress after they leave office.
As a member of the National Assembly, Kim has shown particular interest in veterans’ issues. He co-sponsored a bill that would expand medical benefits for Vietnam War veterans and work-study benefits for former soldiers enrolled in educational programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also supports universal health care, gun background checks, and access to abortion.
Bashaw, Kim’s challenger, grew up in Camden County. He earned an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and founded the hotel company Cape Resorts. Through this business, he acquired and restored Cape May’s historic Congress Hall and the Virginia Hotel. The company operates numerous restaurants and hotels in New Jersey and New York.
Mr. Bashaw also previously served as executive director of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.
Mr. Bashaw positions himself as a pro-choice, married gay man and a socially liberal Republican. But that image was complicated by his support for the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision, which stripped away the constitutional right to abortion.
He called for loosening government regulations in several sectors, including health care. Bashaw believes doctors should be able to practice across state lines and that insurance companies should be encouraged to compete to lower premiums. He also supports lower taxes for the middle class and less “red tape” for small businesses.
On his website, Bashaw strongly criticizes the Biden administration’s immigration policies. He has called for a crackdown on “porous borders,” but has offered few specific policy details.
Mr Bashaw caused concern during a debate with Mr Kim on October 6 when he froze mid-answer and appeared stunned and confused. He then claimed that he had not eaten enough that day.
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