CAPE MAY — Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew won re-election in the 2nd Congressional District, defeating Democrat Joe Salerno.
Van Drew received 211,199 votes, or 58.3 percent, to 147,946 votes, or 41.1 percent, for Salerno.
In Cape May County, Van Drew received 63.61 percent of the vote to Salerno’s 35.97 percent.
In 2019, Van Drew switched parties from Democrat to Republican, pledging support to former president Donald Trump, who won a sweeping victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race.
During his victory party at a Sea Isle City eatery, Van Drew termed his win a “landslide.” He previously served three terms in the New Jersey General Assembly and four terms in the State Senate.
Salerno, a Lower Township businessman and engineer, was making his first run for office. He defeated Tim Alexander in the Democratic primary in June.
In the U.S. Senate race, Democrat Andy Kim defeated political newcomer and Cape May hotelier/developer Curtis Bashaw with 53.2 percent of the vote to Bashaw’s 44.5 percent.
Bashaw was former executive director of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, and his company owns and operates eight hotels, 10 cottages, six restaurants, four retail outlets and a working farm, all on the shore and Long Island’s East End.
Kim received 2,04,305 votes to Bashaw’s 1,710,340. The Senate seat opened when Sen. Bob Menendez stepped down after being convicted of taking bribes and obstructing justice.
Kim stated after he read the indictment of Menendez, he was stunned and felt strongly that the people of New Jersey deserve a choice for what kind of public servant they have in the Senate.
In Cape May County, Bashaw received 60.20 percent of the vote to Kim’s 38.54 percent.
– By JACK FICHTER/Sentinel staff