PRESIDENT ’ S VIEW
PRESIDENT ’ S VIEW
CIANJ Meets With NJ ’ s Candidates for U . S . Senate
By Anthony Russo President , CIANJ
With the November election approaching , the Commerce and Industry Association ( CIANJ ) invited New Jersey ’ s candidates for U . S . Senate – Rep . Andy Kim and Curtis Bashaw – to speak to CIANJ board members in September . The CIANJ hosted both Republican U . S . Senate nominee Curtis Bashaw and Democratic opponent Andy Kim at separate events . The candidates each presented their qualifications and stances on several New Jersey issues , as well as took questions from members .
Both candidates presented themselves as change agents .
Rep . Kim , a three-term congressmember , noted that he ’ s running because he enjoys the public service . “ I am a policy person when it comes down to it , but I really have very little interest in just playing the game as it is . And that ’ s what allows me to do
things . If I was a politician , there ’ s no way I would ’ ve stepped up against the Governor or I would ’ ve stepped up against party leaders . I would ’ ve done things in a safer way looking out for my career .”
He also noted he ’ s willing to step out and do what he thinks is right , and risk things , because “ if I lose this Senate race , I ’ ll land on my feet . I ’ ll be okay . I ’ ll find another way to serve this country .”
Bashaw , Founder and Managing Partner of Cape Resorts , said he entered the N . J . Senate race after feeling dissatisfied with politics .
“ I was feeling frustrated with the acrimony in our politics , the fact that we weren ’ t getting a lot done in D . C ., the fact that New Jersey is 49th in what it gets back from the federal government but is third or fourth in what it contributes .
“ As you get frustrated about these things , you get tired of talking about it , and it felt to me – after Menendez got indited a second time and then the Governor ’ s wife thought she could have the seat – that maybe this was an opportunity to just jump in .”
To help COMMERCE readers and CIANJ members make an informed decision this November , COMMERCE Magazine is running edited transcripts of both September meetings .
To read the full transcript from Rep . Andy Kim click here .
To read the full transcript from Curtis Bashaw click here .
COMMERCE MAGAZINE
PUBLISHER / CEO
ANTHONY RUSSO arusso @ cianj . org
EDITOR
JAMIE GRILL-GOODMAN jgoodman @ cianj . org
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS JULIA PANGBURN LARRY FELD
ADVERTISING SALES
RICH WALTMAN ( 646 ) 808-5114 rwaltman @ cianj . org
TOM WORLEY ( 917 ) -733-5135 tworley @ cianj . org
LAYOUT AND DESIGN
MARJORIE CAMPOLONGO Art Director , mjcampolongo @ gmail . com
Rep . Andy Kim spoke with CIANJ board members September 5 at the CIANJ office in Rochelle Park , NJ .
Curtis Bashaw spoke to CIANJ board members on September 12 at the Glen Ridge Country Club .
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