New Jersey’s next U.S. senator will be a three-term congressman or a political newcomer.

Andy Kim, who has represented the state’s 3rd District since 2019, handily won the Democratic primary after his main rival, New Jersey first lady Tammy Murphy, ended her campaign. He faces Curtis Bashaw, a Republican businessman who has not held elected office. Both men are running for the seat left vacant by Bob Menendez, who resigned in August after being convicted of federal bribery.

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This election is not expected to be close, as the Cook Political Report labels it a “solid Democratic” victory. Opinion polls have given Kim a 5 to 15 percentage point lead over Bashaw, and a Republican has not won a U.S. Senate race in New Jersey since 1972.

Kim joined Congress in 2019 as the first Democratic representative of Korean descent. His parents emigrated to America before he was born and raised him in South Jersey. He graduated from the University of Chicago and studied in England as a Rhodes scholar before serving as a civilian advisor in Afghanistan. He also interned and worked briefly for the US Agency for International Development.

After serving as national security adviser to former President Barack Obama, Kim ran for office in 2018. Tom MacArthurflipping a seat that had been Republican since 2010. He gained national attention for clearing the U.S. Capitol following the insurrection on January 6, 2021.

Kim has run for office on a platform of “restoring the integrity” of the U.S. Senate. This message extends beyond Menendez, whose initial refusal to resign prompted Kim’s bid. In 2022, Kim introduced a bill that would ban members of Congress or their families from owning or trading covered investments. The bill, which did not pass, would also have barred lawmakers from lobbying after they left office.

As a congressman, Kim has taken a special interest in veterans’ issues. He co-sponsored legislation that expanded health care benefits to Vietnam War vets and work-study allowances for former soldiers enrolled in education programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also supports universal health care, gun background checks and access to abortion.

Pasha, Kim’s challenger, grew up in Camden County. He earned an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and went on to found the Cape Resorts hotel company. Through this venture he acquired and restored the historic Congress Hall and Virginia hotel in Cape May. The company operates numerous restaurants and hotels in New Jersey and New York.

Bashaw also previously served as executive director of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.

As a self-described pro-choice married gay man, Bashaw has positioned himself as a socially liberal Republican. But his support for the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision, which struck down the constitutional right to abortion, has complicated that picture.

He has called for fewer government regulations in several areas, including health care. Bashaw believes doctors should be able to practice across state lines and that insurance companies should be encouraged to compete to drive down premiums. He also supports tax cuts for the middle class and less red tape for small businesses.

On his website, Bashaw is very critical of the Biden administration’s immigration policy. He calls for a crackdown on “our porous border,” but offers few concrete policy details.

Bashaw raised concerns during his Oct. 6 debate with Kim when he froze mid-response and appeared weak and disoriented. He later claimed that he had not eaten enough that day.

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