The gay, pro-abortion Republican is hoping pro-Israel voters will send him to Congress to take the Senate seat once held by disgraced Sen. Bob Menendez.
If Curtis Bashaw can pull off an upset in November's election against Rep. Andy Kim, a Democrat with an anti-Israel stance and voting record, he would become the first Republican to win a New Jersey House seat since 1982.
“There are some in the Jewish community who won't vote for Donald Trump, but will vote for Curtis Bashaw because of Andy Kim's stance on Israel,” Mr. Bashaw, 64, said.
In April, Kim, 42, Immediate ceasefire That would allow Hamas to remain in power.
A month later, Kim voted against an anti-Semitism awareness bill that would have provided greater protections for Jewish college students, but which passed overwhelmingly in the House but has stalled in the Senate after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer refused to take it to a vote.
Hoteliers hope they can garner support from Jewish Democrats in the state who typically don't support Republicans.
“Israel is now on the front lines of the war on terrorism and we need to stand with our allies and not negotiate with terrorists. Bob Menendez has been tougher on Israel than Andy Kim has. People are very concerned.” [Kim’s] “It's a progressive agenda,” he said.
“I actually think there is a path to victory,” Bashaw told The Post in an interview this week. “The people of New Jersey are hungry for change.”
In April, Fairleigh Dickinson University Survey Basho was nine points behind Kim, but in August Basho's Our own internal research It turns out I was off by only 5 points.
Bashaw, a hotel developer who owns and restored the historic Congress Hall in Cape May, described his opponent as “more left than any Democratic Senate candidate in the history of our state.”
“He's only ever worked in the federal government. He's a bureaucrat, a liberal academic who wants to tell us what to do, but he has no experience delivering economic growth,” Bashaw said.
Bashaw also cited the ongoing border crisis as an issue that will help him in his congressional race: Like New York, New Jersey is facing an influx of migrants that is causing chaos across the state.
“They’re coming into communities, especially poor communities, and taking away housing that’s already scarce and expensive. Obtaining a Driver's License “Without any ID,” Bashaw said.
Republicans have been gaining strength in the liberal-majority state, which was famously led by Republican Gov. Chris Christie from 2010 to 2018. Republican Jack Ciattarelli defeated Democrat Phil Murphy by four points in the 2021 gubernatorial election.
Kim has more than $4 million in funds, while Basho currently has just over $1 million, according to Federal Election Commission records, and more than half of Basho's funds have come from his own pocket, in the form of a $1.8 million debt.
“I've done everything I can,” Bashaw said, but declined to say how much more he plans to spend in the final stages.
A debate between the candidates is scheduled for October 6th.
Bashaw vowed to vote for Trump, the Republican presidential nominee who lost New Jersey by 16 points in 2020, but hesitated when asked about his top contenders.
“We're running a campaign in New Jersey right now. Here's what I have to say. I'm Curtis Bashaw and I'm running for New Jersey State Senate. I'm not Donald Trump. He's running his campaign,” he said.
Bashaw also highlighted his differences with the former president and his party and pledged to support federal abortion protections.
“I support bipartisan legislation that would provide women with a legislative right of choice,” he said. “I'm not seeking anyone's endorsement.”
A representative for Kim did not respond to The Washington Post's request for comment.
