Curtis Bashaw, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 2024, will run for an open seat on the Cape May County Board of Commissioners.
Bashaw and former North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello will run for seats currently occupied by Will Morey and Melanie Collette. Neither is seeking re-election this year.
“We have an ‘embarrassment of riches’ when it comes to the talent in our ranks. To have Patrick Rosenello and Curtis Bashaw step into the arena together is a game-changer for Cape May County,” said Cape May County GOP Chairman Michael Donohue. “These are proven leaders who have already shaped the face of our community.”
Bashaw, the owner of the Congress Hall hotel and a former executive director of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, won the Republican primary for U.S. Senate two years ago by a 46%-38% margin over Mendham Borough Mayor Christine Serrano Glassner. In the general election, Democrat Andy Kim defeated Bashaw by 387,902 votes, a 54%-44% margin.
Bashaw won Cape May by 10,809 votes, 60%-39%, against Kim.
Morey is stepping down after fifteen years as a county commissioner. Collette is leaving after one term to focus on her career as a political pundit.
Democrats have not won a countywide race since Jeff Van Drew ousted Republican incumbent Mark Videtto in 2000.
