Cross-Posted from DanCirucci.com
The headline in my local Gannett newspaper declared: “Rep. Kim wins NJ primary.” The story (complete with a photo of Andy Kim) was about Kim’s easy win over token opposition in Tuesday’s Senate primary.
In this story I had to read all the way down to the second sentence of the 10th paragraph to find this: “Businessman Curtis Bashaw hopes to become the first elected Republican senator for New Jersey since 1978. Bashaw defeated Serrano Glassner in the Republican primary.”
Think about this: Bashaw, a total newcomer to politics, defeated an opponent who garnered a widely publicized plumb endorsement from President Donald Trump in a vigorously contested race. Bashaw, from the more sparsely populated southern tip of the state, bested an elected official from heavily populated North Jersey. His victory was nothing less that remarkable. Yet, incessant headline grabber Andy Kim dominated the story.
That should give you just a peek at what Curtis Bashaw is up against as he heads into November’s general election against the nimble and diminutive Kim who pirouettes around issues while flitting from spotlight to spotlight quicker than a breathless starlet. And while Kim’s fluffy agility may appear boyishly charming and even appealing in a “Cant we all get along?” kind of way, don’t be fooled. This Boston born wunderkind was groomed by Obamatons and behind those nerdy spectacles is a calculating pol. Just ask Phil and Tammy Murphy.
Formidable, yes? Absolutely!
But Curtis Bashaw is more seasoned than Kim and more successful. Plus, Bashaw loves long odds and doesn’t seem to mind being underestimated. In fact, he’s probably used to it.
After all, nobody thought Bashaw could take a sorry, old dilapidated property like Congress Hall and turn it into a chic, world class hotel and resort. But he did it. And he did it at a relatively young age with guts, savvy and a vision born of the daily, backbreaking grind of resurrecting a grand edifice. Then, step by step and property by property Bashaw went on to awaken sleepy old Cape May out of its slumber into a fresh luxe era where it attracts new generations while remaining a cherished classic. No easy feat, that!
Could Bashaw do the same for New Jersey? Can he break through politics as usual in New Jersey the same way he broke through business as usual in Cape May? It won’t be easy. To succeed, Bashaw must begin with these three big steps:
1) Unite the New Jersey Republican Party behind him. Bashaw must bring all factions together pronto. Yes, even with a united party, the GOP is a distinct minority in this state. But that’s all the more reason why, as a Republican, you must start with a united base to have any chance of winning. So, Bashaw has to meet with those who opposed him in the primary and mend fences without delay. He has to bring a far too contentious party into harmony. As he does that, he will be well-positioned to appeal to independents and even disaffected Democrats and take Kim head on.
2) Define himself to the voters. An old rule of politics says “define yourself before your opponent defines you.” Bashaw will need to define himself to the voters of New Jersey by telling his success story. This is the story of a New Jersey native — a visionary and a pragmatic leader who gets things done. Bashaw is not a pol; he’s not a policy wonk; he not a schemer or a manipulator. He’s a straightforward builder and leader — an authentic team builder who brings people together. In fact, we’re betting that the more voters know about Bashaw the more inclined they’re gonna be to vote for him.
3) Unmask Andy Kim. Kim seems to play the role of a sort of cherubic innocent but he truth is that he’s long been part of the deep state. Indeed, even in college, Kim interned with a governmental agency. As far as we can tell he’s never held a significant job in the private sector. But he does boast about befriending Pete Buttigieg, working at the State Department, advising General David Petraeus and writing a thesis titled Transnational Advocacy Networks and Humanitarian Intervention. Is it any wonder that Kim’s first official act after he came to Congress was voting to make Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House? And that was after he voted against nominating Pelosi for the job. Like most people in DC, Kim specializes in evasiveness and avoiding blame. And while he may have swept the floor of the Capitol rotunda, he clearly has no intention of cleaning up Washington. He’s part of the problem, not part of the solution.
