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Meet Curtis Bashaw — the gay, pro-choice Republican running for Senate in NJ

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Meet Curtis Bashaw — the gay, pro-choice Republican running for Senate in NJ


A gay, pro-choice Republican is hoping voters who support Israel will send him to Congress in disgraced Sen. Bob Menendez’ former Senate seat.

Should Curtis Bashaw pull off the upset in November against Democratic Rep. Andy Kim, who has a history of anti-Israel positions and votes, he would become the first Republican since 1982 to hold the New Jersey seat.

“We’re going to have people from the Jewish community that aren’t going to vote for Donald Trump, that will vote for Curtis Bashaw because of Andy Kim’s stance on Israel,” Bashaw, 64, said.

Curtis Bashaw is the Republican candidate for NJ US Senate. Aristide Economopoulos

In April, Kim, 42, called for an immediate ceasefire that would allow Hamas to remain in power.

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A month later, Kim voted against the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which would have bolstered protections for Jewish college students. The bill passed the House overwhelmingly but has stalled in the Senate, where Leader Chuck Schumer has refused to hold a vote on it.

The hotelier expects to pick up Jewish Democrats in the state who wouldn’t normally back a Republican.

“Israel is the front line of a war on terror right now, and we need to make sure we stand with our ally and don’t negotiate with the terrorists there. Bob Menendez was stronger on Israel than Andy Kim. People are very concerned about [Kim’s] progressive agenda,” he said.

Curtis Bashaw faces an uphill battle for Senate in New Jersey. Aristide Economopoulos

“I actually think there’s a real path to victory,” Bashaw told The Post during an interview this week. “New Jerseyans are craving change.”

In April, a Fairleigh Dickinson University survey had Bashaw nine points behind Kim, but by August Bashaw’s own internal surveys found him to be just five points off.

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Bashaw, a hotel developer whose company restored and owns the historic Congress Hall in Cape May, called his opponent “further to the left than any Democratic Senate candidate we’ve ever had in our state’s history.

Bashaw says his opponent, Rep. Andy Kim, is a dangerous far-left radical. Getty Images

“He has only worked for the federal government. He’s a bureaucrat and an academic liberal that wants to tell us what to do, but he has no experience making an economy grow,” Bashaw said.

Bashaw also cites the ongoing border crisis as an issue which will help his Congressional bid. Like New York, New Jersey has also faced a flood of migrants which has wreaked havoc across the Garden State.

“They’re coming into communities — the poorer communities — taking already scarce and expensive housing. They’re getting driver’s licenses without identification,” Bashaw said.

Republicans have been making gains in the mostly liberal state, which GOP Gov. Chris Christie famously led between 2010 and 2018. In the 2021 gubernatorial election, Republican Jack Ciattarelli came within four points of beating Democrat Phil Murphy.

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Kim sits on a more than $4 million war chest, while Bashaw’s current cash on hand is just over $1 million, Federal Election Commission records show. More than half of Bashaw’s funds came from his own pocket in the form of $1.8 million in loans.

“I’ve put skin in the game,” said Bashaw said, who declined to say how much more he was prepared to spend in the home stretch.

A debate between the candidates is scheduled for Oct. 6.

Bashaw pledged to vote for Republican presidential nominee Trump, who lost New Jersey in 2020 by 16 points, but demurred when asked about the top of the ticket.

Both men are competing to fill the seat of disgraced former Sen. Bob Menendez (above). AP

“We’re running our race in New Jersey right now. And that’s what I have to say. I’m Curtis Bashaw, I’m running for Senate in New Jersey. I’m not Donald Trump. He’s running his race,” he said.

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Bashaw also highlighted his disagreements with the former president and his party more broadly, promising to support federal abortion protections.

“I would vote for a bipartisan law that enshrined a woman’s right to choose legislatively,” he said. “I’m not a rubber stamp for anybody.”

Reps for Kim did not respond to request for comment from The Post.



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How much are World Cup tickets? FIFA sells $2,000 tailgate tickets

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How much are World Cup tickets? FIFA sells ,000 tailgate tickets


Tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are highly coveted. Admission to a game can cost thousands and most matches are already sold out.

Here’s what to know, and how much tickets are selling for.

How to get New Jersey New York FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets

Fans can buy the New Jersey New York Venue Series pass starting at $25,800 per person, for admission to all eight games in New Jersey New York Stadium Stadium.

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Alternatively, fans can buy premium admission that are available for upward of $1,000.

For instance, the admission to the France vs Senegal game on June 16 ranges from $2,300 to $3,400.

The closer to the final, the more expensive tickets are. Admission for the Round of 16 match on July 5, costs between $2,800 and $6,000.

Anyone interested in a luxury suite should be ready to pay roughly $200,000 for game at the New Jersey New York Stadium. The silver lining is that the price includes admission for to 24 people.

Premium tickets for the final match are sold out.

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How can I buy cheaper FIFA World Cup Tickets?

A Last-Minute Sales Phase for individual tickets opens on April 2 at 11 a.m. ET. Tickets might sell out within minutes, given the high global demand for them. Most of the tickets left are category 1 and 2, the most expensive seats.

Price varies depending on the match. As an example the USA vs Paraguay match has seats available for $1,940 and $2,735, according to The Athletic.

Forty out of the 104 matches are already sold out.

What are the tailgate tickets? What is the FIFA Pavilion?

FIFA is selling Pavilion tickets for roughly $2,000. The sporting organization describes the pavilions as “an exclusive retreat located in our secure perimeter immediately outside the stadium. Featuring beverage service and elevated street food-inspired dining available pre- and post-match.

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For the price, you get to tailgate a game three hours before the match and two hours after it finishes. It also includes a ticket to see the game inside the stadium.

Juan Carlos Castillo is a New Jersey-based trending reporter for the USA Today Network. Find him on Twitter at _JCCastillo.



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Did anyone win Powerball? Winning numbers for March 4, 2026

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Did anyone win Powerball? Winning numbers for March 4, 2026


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Powerball winning numbers are in for the Wednesday, March 2 drawing with a jackpot that reached an estimated $20 million ($9.4 million cash option).

The winning numbers in Wednesday’s drawing are 7, 14, 42, 47, and 56, with Powerball number 6.  The Power Play number is 4.

Did anyone win the Powerball jackpot?

No one won the Powerball jackpot

When is the next drawing of the Powerball?

The next Powerball drawing is Saturday. Drawings are held at 10:59 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

How late can you buy a Powerball ticket?

In New Jersey, in-store and online ticket sales are available until 9:59 p.m. on the night of the draw.

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What does it cost to play Powerball?

Powerball costs $2 to play. For an additional $1 per play, the Power Play feature can multiply nonjackpot prizes by two, three, four, five or 10 times.

Are you a Powerball winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All New Jersey Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.99. For prizes over $599.99, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at New Jersey Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket and a copy of a government-issued ID to New Jersey Lottery, Attn: Validations, PO Box 041, Trenton, NJ 08625-0041.

Winners can drop off their claim form and winning ticket in person at the New Jersey Lottery office where a secure drop box is available. Claim forms are also available at the office. Hours are Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Lawrence Park Complex, 1333 Brunswick Avenue Circle, Trenton, NJ 08648.

To find a lottery retalier, you can search the NJ lotto website.

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What is the Powerball payout?

The complete guide to winnings is:

  • Match 5 White Balls + Powerball: Jackpot
  • Match 5 White Balls: $1 million
  • Match 4 White Balls + Powerball: $50,000
  • Match 4 White Balls: $100
  • Match 3 White Balls + Powerball: $100
  • Match 3 White Balls: $7
  • Match 2 White Balls + Powerball: $7
  • Match 1 White Ball + Powerball: $4
  • Match Powerball: $4
  • Match 5 White Balls with Power Play: $2 million
  • Match 4 White Balls + Powerball with Power Play: $200,000
  • Match 4 White Balls with Power Play: $400
  • Match 3 White Balls + Powerball with Power Play: $400
  • Match 3 White Balls with Power Play: $28
  • Match 2 White Balls + Powerball with Power Play: $28
  • Match 1 White Ball + Powerball with Power Play: $16
  • Match Powerball with Power Play: $16

What are the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot?

The overall odds of winning the Powerball are 1 in 292.2 million.

How do I find the Powerball winning numbers?

Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee. Drawings are also lived streamed on Powerball.com. The winning numbers are posted to the Powerball and New Jersey Lottery websites.



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NJ’s biggest Catholic diocese hits pause on plan to merge parishes

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NJ’s biggest Catholic diocese hits pause on plan to merge parishes


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Last June, the Catholic Archdiocese of Newark launched a review called “We Are His Witnesses,” which aimed to consider potential consolidations or closures of some of its 211 North Jersey parishes.

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But amid confusion and pushback from many parishioners, Cardinal Joseph Tobin said Wednesday that the archdiocese will now extend its review to allow for further study and conversations.

In a letter published on the Archdiocese website March 4, Tobin, the archbishop of Newark, noted the challenges remain the same: a steady decline in membership and a shortage of priests projected to grow worse in the coming years. He did not specify how much longer the process would take but said he would have more to announce in June.

The largest of New Jersey’s five Catholic dioceses, the Newark Archdiocese serves approximately 1.3 million people in Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties.

Story continues after gallery.

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Some parishioners, Tobin wrote, “came to believe — incorrectly — that the overall goal of We Are His Witnesses is to close churches. That has never been the purpose.

“This work is not driven by downsizing, but by mission: by the call to strengthen parish life so that it can truly form disciples and reach those who are not yet engaged in the life of the Church.”

The program’s aim is not to close churches, but to “strengthen parish life” he added.

He said a follow-up announcement would come on June 12 but reassured parishioners that “there is no need to fear that an immediate and wholesale closure of parishes will be announced.”

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‘The Church is not a museum’

Current circumstances demand Church leaders to make difficult decisions, he said. “The challenges we face are real: fewer priests, fewer people in the pews, communities that look very different than they did even a generation ago, and financial strain. Ignoring the changed landscape does not preserve parish life; it weakens it. The Church is not a museum to preserve what it once was,” he wrote.

The initiative kicked off last summer, with meetings at churches around the region to allow parishioners to offer feedback. Many expressed fears about their future of their church, Tobin said.

Parishioners at many of the meetings and in letters to Tobin expressed concerns about the program. As a result, Tobin concluded that “it is clear that the communities of the Archdiocese need more time for honest discernment. We are extending this phase of our work to allow for deeper reflection and broader consultation throughout our local Church.”

“This is not a pause in mission. It is a call to take the mission seriously and to ask ourselves, with renewed honesty, what it means to be a missionary Church today.”

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Msgr. Richard Arnhols, pastor emeritus of St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Bergenfield and a member of a committee of pastoral leaders helping to guide the review, said that, “Based on the input from the priests and people of the parishes which took place last fall, Cardinal Tobin has approved a period of additional study and reflection before any decisions are made.”

The first step is further conversation among parish priests, which will take place this month, he said.

Gregory Hann, a religious instructor at St. Vincent Academy in Newark, applauded Tobin’s decision. “If we continue to do things the way we have been doing them, we become a stagnant Church and we allow the comforts of our culture and the outside to keep us from moving from the Cross to glory.”

Nicholas Grillo of Bloomfield, a parishioner who attended several listening sessions at Holy Rosary Church in Jersey City, approved of the decision. “Hopefully the pause will give them time to reevaluate this going forward,” he said.

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He added that it was a “waste of money” to pay large sums of money to a consultant that “doesn’t understand the intricacies of the Archdiocese of Newark,” he said, referring to the Catholic Leadership Institute, a Pennsylvania group that the archdiocese has engaged.

Instead, Grillo suggested, “they should put together a group of lay parishioners and priests from the diocese who can collaborate on a better path forward.”



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