South Jersey Developer Launches Long Shot U.S. Senate Bid

A South Jersey real estate developer, with many Cape May City, New Jersey holdings has declared his candidacy for the United States Senate for New Jersey.

David Wildstein, Publisher of the New Jersey Globe is the first that I have seen report this news.

Curtis Bashaw, owner of Congress Hall, The Virginia, Beach Plum Farms and a number of other Cape May City holdings is running for the Republican Nomination for the United States Senate.

I’m not yet a fan of Bashaw for Senate, however, Bashaw did a good job when former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey selected Bashaw to be the executive director of the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.

Bashaw openly opposed United States President Donald Trump’s victorious campaign in 2016.

This will not be helpful for Bashaw, as President Trump will be the Republican Nominee and head the Republican ticket this year.

Bashaw did an extraordinary job with the restoration and re-opening Congress Hall in Cape May City, which has employed more than 1,300 employees.

Bashaw also navigated the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic very well.

New Jersey Senator Michael Testa is serving as Chairman of Bashaw’s Senate campaign.

Bashaw will be participating in a contested Republican Primary campaign against Christine Serrano Glassner, who is Mayor of Mendham Borough. She is a former Bush administration official, who has close ties to President Trump.

A former Tabernacle Deputy Mayor, Justin Michael Murphy has announced his candidacy and Wildstein reports that Murphy entered the race on Friday, and former News 12 New Jersey reporter Alex Zdan is also considering a Senate run.

Lesser known Republican candidates running include:

• Gregg Mele, the 2021 Libertarian nominee for governor.
• Michael Estrada, who ran for the New Jersey General Assembly in 2017, winning just won 1% of the vote.
• Patrick James Merrill.
• Albert Harshaw, a former Presidential candidate.

This process is a very tall order, as a Republican has not won a United States Senate seat from New Jersey in 50 years.

The last Republican elected to the United States Senate for New Jersey was Clifford P. Case, who left office in 1979.

There is heightened interest in this seat this year because of the fact that 3-term incumbent United States Senator Robert Menendez is facing serious multiple federal indictments.

Menendez is running for re-election regardless of the criminal charges that he faces.

New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy is a legitimate Democratic challenger, who has been very active and is successfully lining-up key Democrat support.

It is very difficult for a South Jersey candidate to win a statewide nomination.

Former New Jersey State Senator Bill Gormley came within a whisker of winning the Republican Nomination for the United States Senate in 2000.

The late United States Congressman Bob Franks narrowly defeated Gormley.

This applies to South Jersey Republicans and Democrats regarding the challenging path to win a statewide nomination.

Gormley came very close.