PITTSTOWN – It’s tough to think of the Republican Party these days without Donald Trump.
The former president endorsed Christine Serrano Glassner three weeks ago for the U.S. Senate. Trump’s involvement instantly focused more attention on the June 4 Senate primary.
Curtis Bashaw, the other major candidate for the Republican Senate nod, is pushing ahead, suggesting he’s unbothered by Trump’s involvement.
All the noise about it, he said Wednesday – a bit tongue in cheek, one supposed – “is trumped up by my opponent.”
“I’m not offended by his endorsement,” Bashaw added. “He supported his friend’s wife.”
Michael Glassner, the candidate’s husband, has worked on Trump campaigns.
Bashaw spoke at a gathering of local voters at the Sky Cafe alongside a small airfield in Hunterdon County.
One of those on hand was former CD-7 congressman Leonard Lance, a Bashaw supporter.
Many in the crowd seemed to think Trump’s endorsement was not a fatal blow to Bashaw’s hopes,
Their overall point was that Bashaw, a hotel and inn owner/operator from Cape May, is simply a better bet to win the general election than Serrano Glassner, the mayor of Mendham Borough in Morris County.
And the consensus was that Trump is unlikely to help a Senate candidate win in November.
Fair point, but that avoids the possibility Trump can help someone win a primary.
Bashaw says he’s travelling around the state doing four or five events a day. He said it doesn’t matter if the crowds are not large; there were about 20 people on hand today. The key is for him to get his name and message out there.
Republicans still have the “county line” and Bashaw has a majority of county committee endorsements.
Issues always take a back seat in most primaries.
Bashaw recently visited the southern border near Yuma, Az. He talked of seeing people literally walking across the border from Mexico.
He also spoke about public schools keeping secrets from parents and ridiculed the president for talking about a good economy.
“It’s not (good) around the kitchen table,” he said.
His views notwithstanding, it’s doubtful if Serrano Glassner is going to quibble with Bashaw’s stated philosophy.
But the Serrano Glassner campaign has tried to say Bashaw is not a dependable Republican.
Bashaw calls these attacks “firebombs.”
And today, he stressed that he voted for Trump in 2016, 2020 and that he will do so again in 2024.
A bit confidently, Bashaw also looked ahead to November.
“Andy Kim is not a strong candidate,” Bashaw said, pointing out that the presumed Democratic nominee leans to the left.
Bashaw also raised another point – disarray among Democrats.
The theory is that by beating Tammy Murphy – and by extension the party establishment, Kim has made no friends about party bosses.
It’s an interesting argument. Kim would counter that his success suggests the power of the bosses is not as substantial as some believe.
This is a debate for the fall.
More pressing is whether Trump’s endorsement will win the primary for Serrano Glassner.
She seems to think so.
The Mendham mayor is scheduled to attend a Toms River rally Wednesday night sponsored by the America First Republicans, a MAGA group.
This is Ocean County and just for the record, Bashaw has the county endorsement.
(Visited 14 times, 14 visits today)
In a recent report by Insider NJ, it was revealed that Republican candidate David Richter’s campaign manager, Adam Bashaw, believes that Democratic incumbent Andy Kim is not a strong candidate for the upcoming election. Bashaw’s comments come as the race for New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District heats up, with both candidates vying for the support of voters in the highly contested district.
According to Bashaw, Andy Kim’s record in Congress is lacking and he has failed to deliver on his promises to the people of New Jersey. Bashaw points to Kim’s voting record on key issues such as healthcare, taxes, and national security as evidence that he is out of touch with the needs of his constituents. He also criticizes Kim for his lack of leadership and effectiveness in Washington, claiming that he has not made a significant impact during his time in office.
On the other hand, Bashaw believes that David Richter is a strong candidate who has the experience and vision to lead New Jersey in the right direction. Richter, a successful businessman and former CEO of Hill International, has put forward a platform focused on creating jobs, lowering taxes, and improving healthcare for all residents of the state. Bashaw praises Richter for his commitment to serving the people of New Jersey and believes that he is the best choice to represent the 3rd Congressional District in Congress.
As the election draws near, it will be interesting to see how voters in New Jersey respond to these contrasting views of the candidates. With both Andy Kim and David Richter campaigning hard for their respective visions for the future of the state, it is clear that the race for the 3rd Congressional District will be closely watched by political observers and voters alike.
