NUTLEY, N.J. (AP) — Democratic Rep. Andy Kim and Republican Curtis Bashaw clashed Sunday over abortion and immigration in their first debate for New Jersey’s Senate seat, which opened this year after Bob Menendez’s conviction on bribery charges and resignation.
Kim, a three-term representative from the 3rd District, hammered Bashaw on his support for former President Donald Trump and expressed skepticism about Bashaw’s position as a supporter of abortion rights. Bashaw, a hotel developer from southern New Jersey and a first-time candidate, tried to portray himself as a moderate and Kim as a Washington insider.
The debate was briefly derailed at the beginning when Bashaw stopped speaking mid-sentence and stared into space unresponsive. He was helped off stage and left the room for about 10 minutes.
“I got so excited about this affordability issue that I realized I hadn’t eaten that much food today,” Bashaw said when he got back. “So I appreciate your indulgence.”
One of the most focused discussions was about abortion. Both candidates support abortion rights, but Bashaw has said he supported the U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. New Jersey has enshrined abortion protections in state law.
“I just have a fundamental problem with using the term ‘pro-choice’ to describe yourself when you’ve talked about the importance of getting the Dobbs decision right,” Kim said.
He also hammered Bashaw on his support for Trump, who has twice lost New Jersey’s electoral votes.
“The only show of support he has made is for Donald Trump to become president of the United States,” Kim said. “And I think that gives us an idea of his judgment.”
Bashaw, who defeated a Trump-backed rival in the primaries, did not explicitly defend the former president.
“Elections are binary choices, and we all have to make a decision,” he said.
He touted his own candidacy based on his credentials as a businessman and resisted being characterized as a traditional Republican, noting that he supports abortion rights and is a married gay man.
“I’m pro-choice, Congressman. I am for freedom at home,” Bashaw said. ‘I don’t think the government should tell me who I can marry. “I don’t think she should be telling a woman what she can do with her reproductive health choices.”
Bashaw repeatedly hammered immigration, saying it is “a New Jersey crisis” and costing the state a lot of money.
Reflecting how Democratic-leaning New Jersey has been in Senate races, which Republicans haven’t won in more than 50 years, Bashaw addressed his closing statements to the women and mothers of New Jersey.
“I am a moderate, common-sense person who will work to be a voice for New Jersey,” he said.
Kim declared her candidacy a day after Menendez’s indictment last year, saying it was time for the state to turn the page on the longtime lawmaker. It appeared the Democratic primary in a must-win state would be contentious when first lady Tammy Murphy entered the race and won the support of influential party leaders.
But Kim challenged the state’s unique voting system, which is widely seen as favoring candidates backed by party leaders. A federal judge sided with Kim in his legal challenge, suspending the system for these elections. Murphy dropped out of the race, saying she wanted to avoid a divisive primary, leaving a clear path to Kim’s nomination.
Kim first became a member of the House of Representatives in 2018, defeating Republican Rep. Tom MacArthur. He gained national attention following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot when he was photographed collecting trash in the building.
Bashaw won a contentious primary in June, defeating a Trump-backed opponent. The hotel developer from Cape May is running for office for the first time.
Menendez was convicted this summer on federal charges of taking bribes of gold and cash from three New Jersey businessmen and acting as an agent for the Egyptian government. He has promised to appeal the conviction.
He resigned in August, capping a career in politics that spanned about five decades. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy has appointed George Helmy as interim senator. Helmy said he will resign after the election is certified so Murphy can appoint whoever wins the election to the seat for the remainder of Menendez’s term, which ends in January.
