Exclusive interview: Targum speaks to Curtis Bashaw about free speech, presidential election

The Daily Targum's news desk recently spoke with U.S. Senate candidate Curtis Bashaw (R-N.J.) to discuss various issues, including the pro-Palestinian encampment at Rutgers—New Brunswick during the Spring 2024 semester, the upcoming presidential election and the economy.

A political newcomer, Bashaw owns more than two dozen hotels, restaurants and other properties, according to his website. Bashaw defeated his opponent, who was endorsed by former President Donald J. Trump, in June's Republican primary. 

Following former Sen. Bob Menendez's (D-N.J.) resignation, Menendez was replaced by Sen. George Helmy (D-N.J.), a University alum and former staffer of Gov. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.). After the results of November's general election are declared, Helmy is set to resign.

Bashaw will vie for the seat against Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.). If he were to win, Bashaw would be the first openly LGBTQ+ Republican U.S. senator, though polls indicate that Kim is more likely to win the consistently Democratic seat.

Regarding his charges that the Biden administration has "appeased Iran" and the militias it supports, including Hezbollah and Hamas, Bashaw pointed toward the Iran nuclear deal, which was signed by former President Barack Obama, and President Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s rolling back of certain sanctions imposed by Trump.

When asked if he would support an Israeli strike on Iran, he defended Israel's right to do so in the context of a recent attack by Iran.

"(Israel is) the only democracy in the Middle East," he said. "(Israel has) been brutally attacked by a terrorist organization whose mission is their annihilation … I think Israel has the right to try get rid of the terrorists."

On campus protests, Bashaw questioned the actions of some pro-Palestinian demonstrators at Rutgers during the Spring 2024 semester.

"Free speech doesn't mean impeding somebody from going to class or having really intense, harsh language about 'intifada, et cetera,' levied against them," he said.

Bashaw also took issue with the University negotiating its investments to reach an end to the encampment but did not directly address if he would have preferred a police response.

He also expressed concern with Rutgers resident assistants who walked out on a training session pertaining to antisemitism and Islamophobia, and he spoke favorably of the University's new free expression policy, which bans all unauthorized protests and demonstrations.

"Freedom is messy. It's messier than tyranny," he said. "We need students who are taught to be engaged, have conversations that are difficult without trying to silence the other side or creating tense environments … That's what America (is) about."

Earlier this month, Bashaw and Kim faced off in their first debate. Early in the debate, Bashaw went silent mid-sentence, unable to move. The debate was suspended for 9 minutes, and both candidates came back and finished without issue. Bashaw later posted on social media platform X that he was undernourished. When asked about the incident, Bashaw said he was preparing to stay hydrated for the next debate.

Despite Trump holding off on an endorsement, Bashaw has said he will vote for the former President. When asked about why he will do so despite Trump's attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election and his approximately one million vote loss in New Jersey, Bashaw said Biden won the last election and was pleased with the amount of engagement by voters this election season.

When asked if he would support possible attempts to overturn the results of this upcoming election, he signaled that he would abide by the declared results.

"When my party's right, I'm going to stand up and support it, and when it's not right, I'm not," he said. "We need to make sure that we have election integrity and support the results of our elections."

When asked how he can appeal to college students, who tend to be Liberal, Bashaw called himself a "moderate" and "classic Liberal" and pointed to his successes in business and stance on the economy. He specifically pointed to his more Liberal social beliefs and his skepticism of economic regulation.

"I don't think government should be telling us what to do in our homes," he said. "I still believe in the future and that that future comes from unshackling our citizens from too much burdensome regulation."

Bashaw also touted his prior bipartisan experience working on a commission under a Democratic governor and his status as an outsider to the political scene.

Reflecting on what it would mean to be the first openly LGBTQ+ Republican U.S. Senator, Bashaw said he would be proud and cited the country's founding documents and its civil rights history.

"Our Constitution and Declaration were written by white men, … some of whom enslaved other people," he said. "The words of those documents were more powerful than those men."

He added that he feels his victory would be a continuation of the ideals expressed in the Constitution.

"It would be a great honor to go to the United States Senate as a U.S. citizen, as Curtis Bashaw, as a businessman and as a gay American. And I would work very hard in my party … to make sure that our rights are preserved and that we continue to make our way and find our path to being even more perfect," he said.