Prolific Cape May County hotelier and developer Curtis Bashaw is the latest New Jersey Republican to join the U.S. Senate primary, announcing his candidacy on Monday in a low-key press release.
“I’m running for United States Senate because we, as a nation, need to get back to our basic core values of liberty, prosperity, and the pursuit of happiness,” said Bashaw in a statement released to state media. “Too many New Jerseyans believe the American Dream is out of reach and that Washington isn’t working in their best interests. I’m running to bring freedom, security, and opportunity to all New Jersey families — not just the political elite.”
Bashaw has been active in state politics for many years behind the scenes as a donor, but his Cape Restorts group’s hotels and restaurants – including Congress Hall, The Blue Pig Tavern, and The Ebbitt Room are legendary along the Jersey Shore. Unsurprisingly, the chief topics on most voters’ minds – immigration and inflation – served as the opening fodder for Bashaw’s inaugural salvo.
“Inflation is hurting New Jersey families, and our open border is a national security threat and a humanitarian crisis,” Bashaw added. “D.C. politicians haven’t been able to fix these serious problems, and as a result, our freedom and security are in jeopardy. Throughout my career, I’ve focused on bringing people together, finding common-sense solutions, and helping communities reach their economic potential — and that’s exactly what I’ll do in the United States Senate.”
He hasn’t run for office before so we don’t know much about where he stands on the issues as of yet, but his selection of State Senator and Cumberland County GOP Chairman Mike Testa to serve as his campaign chairman is an unambigous overture to the state’s populist conservative base.
“It’s time to make a change from the disastrous Biden-Menendez-Murphy policies that are failing New Jersey middle-class families,” said Senator Testa in his own statement. “Curtis Bashaw has been a friend and supporter for many years. He’s an employer who’s created over one-thousand jobs who will bring back the American Dream for all New Jerseyans. I look forward to working with Curtis and his team in putting together a winning campaign that fights for freedom, security, and opportunity for every New Jersey taxpayer.”
But biography is often king in these contests, and aside from his success in the business world, the most interesting thing about Bashaw is arguably his status as a rare openly-gay candidate seeking federal office as a Republican. Bashaw resides in Cape May with his husband, Will, a fact which supporters hope could “flip the script” in a general election contest likely to feature Donald Trump and Joe Biden atop their respective parties’ columns.
The GOP field is rapidly filling up with als0-rans and perrennial candidates, but Bashaw’s primary opponent at the moment appears to be Mendham Mayor Christine Serrano Glassner who is actively seeking the elusive endorsement of former president Trump. Another wildcare is ex-News12 journalist Alex Zdan who recently launched a campaign-style website and is actively weighing an entry into the race. On the Democrat side, first lady Tammy Murphy and Congressman Andy Kim are the main combatants though the embattled incumbent (Bob Menendez) has yet to bow out of the fight notwithstanding a blockbuster ongoing federal prosecution and a collapse of his in-state support base.
