Politics in the Garden State usually feels like a scripted drama. You know the drill: powerful machines, backroom handshakes, and a ballot system designed to keep the incumbents exactly where they are. But the 2024 United States Senate election in New Jersey wasn't that. Honestly, it was a wrecking ball.
It started with gold bars and ended with a complete overhaul of how people vote in Jersey. If you’ve been following the news, you know Andy Kim is now the Senator-elect, but the path he took to get there was kind of insane. He didn't just beat a Republican; he basically broke the New Jersey Democratic machine along the way.
The Menendez Shadow and the Gold Bar Problem
You can't talk about this race without talking about Bob Menendez. For years, he was the untouchable titan of NJ politics. Then came the federal indictment in September 2023. We’re talking allegations of bribes involving stacks of cash, literal gold bars, and acting as a foreign agent for Egypt.
The moment that news broke, the 2024 United States Senate election in New Jersey changed forever.
While most established Democrats were "waiting for the facts," Congressman Andy Kim did something risky. He tweeted that he’d be running for the seat. The very next day. It was a "shot heard 'round the state" moment. Kim wasn't the party's chosen one; he was a three-term rep from South Jersey who decided to jump the line.
A Primary That Broke the System
For a minute there, it looked like Tammy Murphy, the First Lady of New Jersey, was going to walk away with it. She had the "county line." If you aren't from Jersey, you might not realize how big a deal that is. Basically, county party bosses get to pick who goes in a special column on the ballot. If you're on the line, you usually win. Simple as that.
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Kim knew he couldn't win that way. So, he sued.
He took the state to federal court, arguing that the "county line" was unconstitutional. And he won. A federal judge, Zahid Quraishi, issued an injunction that forced the state to use "office-block" ballots for the Democratic primary. This was huge. It leveled the playing field for the first time in generations.
Soon after, Tammy Murphy dropped out. She saw the writing on the wall. Kim eventually sailed through the primary with about 75% of the vote.
Bashaw: The Republican Who Almost Made It a Race
On the other side, you had Curtis Bashaw. He’s a hotel developer from Cape May—a Republican, but not the kind you might expect. He’s openly gay, supports abortion rights (to an extent), and tried to position himself as a moderate "change agent."
Bashaw actually had to fight off a Trump-endorsed candidate, Christine Serrano Glassner, in his own primary. He won because NJ Republicans were looking for someone who could actually win a general election in a blue state.
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The General Election Numbers
When November 5 rolled around, the results were clear, though maybe a bit tighter than some expected.
- Andy Kim (D): 2,161,491 votes (53.6%)
- Curtis Bashaw (R): 1,773,589 votes (44.0%)
Kim won by nearly 10 points. But look at the map. He actually lost Cumberland County—a place that hadn't voted for a Republican Senator since the 1970s. He also saw some shifts in places like Passaic and Gloucester. Even in a win, you could see the "red shift" that was happening nationally in 2024.
Why This Election Was Historic
First off, Andy Kim is making history. He's the first Korean-American ever elected to the U.S. Senate. He's also the first Asian-American to represent New Jersey in the chamber.
But beyond the identity politics, the 2024 United States Senate election in New Jersey will be remembered for the death of the "machine." By winning his lawsuit and then the seat, Kim proved that you don't need a party boss to give you permission to run.
He didn't spend the most money early on. He didn't have the biggest endorsements at the start. He just had a moment where he grabbed a trash bag on January 6th to clean up the Capitol, and then he grabbed a lawsuit to clean up Jersey politics. People liked that.
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What’s Next for Jersey Voters?
Now that the dust has settled, Kim is heading to D.C. as a Senator. He actually took office early in December 2024 because Menendez resigned and the interim appointee, George Helmy, stepped aside to give Kim a seniority boost.
If you're a Jersey resident, here’s what this means for you practically:
- Watch the Ballots: The "county line" is effectively dead for Democrats, but the legal battle for Republican ballots is still simmering. Expect future primaries to look very different.
- New Leadership: Kim has a very different style than Menendez. He’s much more focused on "integrity" and "affordability" than the old-school power brokering.
- The 2025 Governor's Race: This Senate race was a preview. Potential candidates are already looking at Kim’s playbook—running against the "establishment" is now a viable strategy in New Jersey.
The 2024 United States Senate election in New Jersey wasn't just another cycle. It was the year the voters took back the steering wheel.
To stay involved, you can track Senator Kim's first legislative moves on the official Senate website or check your local county clerk's office for updates on how upcoming primary ballots will be structured in your specific district.