Q&A with the Sentinel
OCEAN CITY − Fourth-generation New Jerseyan Bayly Winder is one of four Democrats challenging U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew for his seat in New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District.
Winder felt called to serve the country, having grown up in a family where both of his grandfathers served in the military and his mother’s parents served in the State Department and the Central Intelligence Agency.
“Their example shaped my own decision to serve our country,” Winder said.
What is your background?
I was honored to join the U.S. State Department, where I worked on Iran policy during a critical period around the nuclear deal and helped advance American interests abroad. After that, I advised the FBI on national security issues, [focusing] on the growing threat of cyberattacks, and worked at a small technology-sector business. I then returned to public service at USAID, serving as an advisor to the leadership team and helping advance programs that strengthened America’s national security and role in the world.
I hold a B.A. in political science with honors from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from the University of Oxford. I was also awarded a Fulbright scholarship to conduct research in Kuwait.
What made you decide to run?
I decided to run because it’s become clear how broken our politics is, and folks here in South Jersey are paying the price.
Everywhere I go, I hear the same thing: costs are up, health care is harder to afford, [and] energy bills keep rising. People are working just as hard as ever, but it feels like they’re falling further behind. And instead of fighting for us, Jeff Van Drew is a rubber stamp for the White House and special interests.
We’re seeing the consequences in real time. Cuts to Medicaid that put health care at risk. Tariffs that drive up prices on everyday goods. Decisions are being made without any regard for how they impact working families here at home.
That’s what pushed me to run. South Jersey deserves someone who actually shows up, hears what people are going through, and is willing to stand up, no matter who it’s against, to fight for them.
What issues are the focus of your campaign?
- Tackling the cost of living crisis for working families.
People across South Jersey are working hard, but it’s getting harder to get ahead. I’m focused on lowering everyday costs, from energy bills to groceries, supporting local farmers and small businesses, and pushing back on policies like reckless tariffs that drive prices even higher.
- Protecting and strengthening access to health care.
Health care should be affordable and reliable, not something families have to worry about losing. I will fight to protect Medicaid, lower premiums, and strengthen the government’s negotiating power over prescription drug costs.
- Cleaning up corruption and restoring trust in government.
People are fed up with a political system that feels rigged and unaccountable. I don’t take corporate PAC money, and I support strong reforms like banning members of Congress from trading stocks, term limits, and overturning Citizens United.
What issues do you believe will resonate in this conservative district?
The issues I’m focused on are the ones I hear about every day from people across South Jersey. First and foremost, it’s the cost of living. Families are feeling squeezed by higher prices on everything from groceries to gas. People may not follow every policy debate in Washington, but they know when their bills keep going up, and they want someone who will do something about it.
And here at home, I’m hearing strong, bipartisan concern about projects like large-scale AI data centers, what they mean for energy bills, water use and whether communities have a say. That’s why I’ve been a leader in pushing back against the Vineland data center and demanding transparency and accountability.
What ties all of this together is something simple: people want someone who isn’t a party hack. They want someone who will call it like it is, stand up to their own party when necessary, and actually show up, holding town halls, taking questions, and being accountable to everyone, not just the people who agree with them. That’s why I’ve already held seven town halls across the district and met people where they are, listening first and talking second, whether it’s at diners, grocery stores or college campuses.
How do you balance your campaign with your home life/family/work?
It’s a juggling act. Some days are long, and there’s a lot going on. There’s a lot of diner stops and Wawa coffee, the occasional candy run, walks in our incredible nature, and lately I’ve been on a bit of a Friday Night Lights kick (clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose!).
I also make a point to talk with family and friends about what this experience is like, because every day really is different. And I’m lucky to have an experienced team around me that keeps me grounded and helps me focus on where I’m most needed.
At the end of the day, the people in my life and this community are the reason I’m in this race, so staying connected to that makes everything else easier.
The country is politically divided more so than ever. How do you plan to work across the aisle to bring change to South Jersey?
The country is more politically divided than ever, but the people of South Jersey don’t have the luxury of waiting around for Washington to get its act together. They need results.
At the State Department, FBI, and USAID, I served under both Democratic and Republican administrations and worked alongside Democrats and Republicans alike because we were all focused on advancing America’s interests. That experience taught me that if someone has a good idea that will help working families, lower costs, strengthen healthcare, or protect our communities, I do not care where it comes from. I care whether it delivers for South Jersey.
I’ll work with anyone who is serious about solving problems and putting people ahead of politics. That also means being willing to stand up to my own party when necessary.
A recent example is the bipartisan War Powers Resolution to reassert Congress’s constitutional authority over decisions of war and executive branch abuse. That is the kind of common-sense, cross-party action I would support in Congress, unlike Jeff Van Drew, who time and time again puts political loyalty ahead of independent judgment.
In your past positions, how have you handled difficult decisions?
In my previous roles, I’ve been in rooms where the stakes were real and lives were on the line, like White House National Security Council meetings, and advised on decisions involving billions of dollars in funding. I know how to get things done at a high level.
And I bring that same mindset home to South Jersey, focusing on lowering costs, protecting our environment, and making sure families feel secure. Every decision comes back to one question: how does this impact the people of this district?
What are the major issues that southern New Jersey residents are facing?
The most pressing issues facing South Jersey residents are the rising cost of living, the impact of large-scale projects like data centers on our communities and a growing sense that too many politicians are putting their own interests ahead of the people they’re supposed to serve.
Families are feeling squeezed at the grocery store, on their utility bills, and in their health care costs. At the same time, communities are being asked to absorb massive developments without clear answers on how they’ll affect water, energy, and quality of life. And too often, people feel like decisions are being made without them, not for them.
What ideas do you have to address these issues?
There’s a lot of work to do to lower costs, expand opportunity, and restore trust in government. Congress needs to reassert its authority over tariffs to bring down costs for working families and small businesses that are currently paying the price.
I’ll fight to bring more federal investment to South Jersey, across infrastructure, energy and local economic development, because our region has given a lot and deserves its fair share in return.
And finally, we need to clean up Washington urgently. On day one, I’ll support a ban on members of Congress trading individual stocks so people can trust that decisions are being made in the public interest, not personal financial gain.
Republicans largely outnumber Democrats in the district. If you won the primary, how would you attract those vital independent voters?
I’ll focus on kitchen-table issues that cut across the political spectrum: tackling rising costs, demanding accountability from AI companies, and fighting conflicts of interest across both parties. My campaign will continue to meet voters where they are and make sure their concerns are being heard.
Why are you the strongest candidate to take on U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew?
I got into this race early and have spent the last eight-plus months showing up everywhere, town halls, community events, diners, [and] campuses, listening first and earning people’s trust. When my supporters talk to voters, that’s what they hear: that I’m putting in the work and building clear energy.
I’ve also led on the issues that are now driving this race, from reckless foreign policy moves to the Vineland data center, while others are still catching up.
And ultimately, the clearest sign of strength is this: Jeff Van Drew’s campaign is already treating me like the real threat, going after me in the press and trying to tear me down. That doesn’t happen unless they know we’re building something strong.
Anything else you’d like to add that I didn’t ask?
When people tell me politics is broken and corrupt, I tell them, “You know what? I agree. I’m not a career politician. I’m a public servant who’s fed up, just like they are.” That’s why I’m running, to help fix it and actually make government work for working people again.
– By RACHEL SHUBIN/For the Sentinel
– PHOTO by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
