To say that the projected outcome for the upcoming federal elections appears tight would be an absolute understatement. The presidential race is neck and neck and Congress can also go either way, with Republicans holding a slim 220-212 lead in the House and Democrats a 51-49 majority in the Senate.
In New Jersey, the situation seems to be tightening as well. Andy Kim, a sitting member of Congress held a nine point polling advantage over Curtis Bashaw for the race for Senate back in April. Kim has seen his lead dwindle in recent months to four points, though it should be stated that no Republican has been elected to that position in over 50 years. With the stakes so high, The Jewish Link spoke with Bashaw to learn more about him, his values and his outlook, especially in regard to Israel and other issues of importance to the Jewish community.
Bashaw, a successful Cape May businessman who bills himself as a common sense Republican, began his career in hotels and real estate when he renovated an old abandoned building back in 1989. Over a period of 35 years he grew his business from 35 employees to over 1,100. He spoke of how his experiences have taught him about budgeting and fiscal responsibility, proudly adding that his business supports 800 New Jersey families. During COVID he spearheaded a task force which involved all 16 mayors in Cape May County, with the goal of safely reopening small businesses.
Bashaw, who has been differentiating himself from his opponent on immigration, taxes, the economy and foreign policy, spoke of the imbalance between what New Jersey provides and receives from the federal government, noting that it places 49th out of 50 in the benefits it receives from the government yet is the fourth or fifth highest contributor. It’s just one of the issues he plans to address if elected.
In regard to the immigration crisis, Bashaw said it is a “tremendous threat to our nation’s security and an enormous strain on our country’s resources,” emphasizing how it has negatively affected New Jersey in particular. He personally toured the border late at night a few months back and counted 62 illegal alien crossings over a three-hour period. In keeping with his common sense approach, Bashaw has stated that “Once our border is secured, I’m in favor of helping people pursue the American Dream, especially those who’ve been in the U.S. for so long and are part of the fabric of our communities.” He added, “While I don’t believe in mass deportation, I don’t believe in blanket amnesty either.”
Bashaw’s emphasis on safety and security has earned him endorsements from various police organizations such as the New Jersey Police Benevolent Association and the National Association of Police Organizations, while his strong support of free enterprise has resulted in the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
On women’s issues as on many others, Bashaw is a strong believer in working across the aisle, saying, “I believe that we should work in a bipartisan way to enshrine a woman’s right to choose federally.” When asked by The Jewish Link about his opinion of Democratic congressman Josh Gottheimer, he stated that while he had never met Gottheimer, he knew he was part of the no labels Problem Solvers Caucus, “which I admire.”
Regarding his thoughts on the situation in Israel, Bashaw said, “I believe in peace through strength. We need to support our allies, support democracy.” He added, “We don’t negotiate with terrorists in the U.S., why should Israel have to do so? It’s hard to negotiate with an entity whose mission is to annihilate you.” He believes that the current United States administration is telegraphing weakness, which only emboldens enemies.
On the issue of antisemitism, Bashaw shared with The Jewish Link that he had gone to a Rutgers encampment last semester and saw the word “intifada” all over, which clearly made Jewish students uneasy. “We need to treat issues of discrimination equally. If it had been any other group being treated that way, the attorney general’s office would quickly have had it investigated.” In a September press release, Bashaw called for the immediate resignation of resident advisors at Rutgers University “who walked out on a mandatory antisemitism and Islamophobia bias training session.” The release stated that the walkout “was led by Students for Justice in Palestine, an organization suspended by Rutgers until 2025.” In his statement, Bashaw in part said, “If a resident advisor is so offended to hear about antisemitism or the horrific terrorist attacks of Oct. 7, he or she is not fit to hold that position.”
Bashaw is hopeful his moderate, common sense approach, along with his willingness to reach across the aisle will resonate with voters, adding. “The middle is where things get done.”
Robert Isler is a freelance writer who focuses on Jewish issues. He can be reached at [email protected].
