Curtis Bashaw, the Republican candidate running for U.S. Senate in New Jersey, appeared to nearly pass out during his debate Sunday night with Democratic opponent Andy Kim. The two are vying for the seat of former Sen. Robert Menendez, who was convicted of bribery in July and later resigned his seat.
Bashaw, 64, was in the middle of responding to an early question about affordability in the United States when his speech broke and he stared absently ahead. The debate was streamed online and broadcast on C-SPAN. Video showed Kim — a U.S. representative in New Jersey's 3rd congressional district — walk over and place his hand on Bashaw's to check if he was alright. Bashaw momentarily was unable to respond and appeared disoriented at his podium.
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"I think maybe we need to take a commercial break and address issues here on the stage," said Laura Jones, the debate's moderator.
When the debate resumed about 10 minutes later, Bashaw acknowledged the unusual incident and the apparent signs that he may have been in medical distress.
"I got so worked up about this affordability issue that I realized I hadn’t eaten so much food today so I appreciate your indulgence," he said.
Bashaw later posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying he had been out campaigning the whole day. In a follow-up post, he shared a picture from a pizza party with his campaign staff.
New Jersey's U.S. Senate race is the state's most high-profile contest in November's election. Bashaw, a hotelier and developer in Cape May, is making his first run for political office. The last time a Republican won a race for U.S. Senate in New Jersey was 1972.
The candidates are scheduled to face each other in two more debates before the Nov. 5 election.
Bashaw has campaigned on lowering inflation, reducing small business regulations and advancing bills that would reform criminal justice and immigration. Kim drew national attention in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection when he assisted with cleanup efforts at the U.S. Capitol. In 2019, he became the first Democratic member of Congress of Korean descent. His district covers parts of Burlington, Mercer and Monmouth counties.