and it's the final push to get out votes in the US Senate race between sitting Democratic Congressman Andy Kim and Republican businessman Curtis Bashaw after what started as a contentious primary with a crowded field and battles over the party line the latest polls show it's Kims to lose he's up about 18 points but there's always room for an upset and it'll be the first time New Jersey sends a new US senator to Washington in a decade Ted Goldberg has the latest from that race you want to put the sticker on Me Andy Kim worked hard for his I voted sticker the Democratic candidate for Senate waited for two hours to pull the lever here in mortown in the heart of his district in Congress I'm so excited to see so many people showing up to vote even the early birds had to wait on historically long lines we got here about sometimes 7 about 7 and it took about 1 hour and a half for us to uh I had a timer yeah she did time it but that's fine we were happy to take our time our part in history it's very important election we we recognize that typically if we come up kind of like that late morning we're in and out very quick today it was 2 hours and 5 minutes it was a little quicker last time I voted but I got up at 5:00 a.m. to do that I've voted in this polling station uh for so many years uh I've never seen a line out the door I've never had to wait more than 5 Seconds to be able to vote before Kim is running on his record as a three-term representative here hoping to replace longtime Senator Bob Menendez who resigned after he was found guilty of corruption charges I really do hope that we can represent a new era of politics coming in one that can restore trust and faith from the American people and the people of New Jersey so I'm I'm very humbled to be here and uh hopeful for America today for me I I want my country to be able to deliver for my two little boys but we're not going to be able to get that done if we continue to to have this level of distrust so that was exactly why I stepped up I did not plan to run for Senate this was not something I uh had in the cards but I I felt it was important to give the people of New Jersey a choice his opponent Republican businessman Curtis Bashaw agrees with Kim's thoughts on the electorate I am feeling so energized because the voters are energized basaw is a moderate Republican and has touted his business credentials as a reason voters should send him to the Senate I'm a businessman he's a career politician I've signed the front side of a paycheck for 35 years every two weeks creating a thousand jobs the Cape May native has tried to paint Kim as too liberal for New Jersey my opponent is on the wrong side of the economy he wants to tax and spend I think we got to grow the economy he's soft On the Border Bashaw won the Republican primary against a trump endorsed candidate but now Trails Kim by 18 points in the latest FDU poll Riders Micah Rasmussen say says more people know about Kim than Bashaw a huge deal in a state that hasn't elected a republican to the Senate since 1972 being the guy who cleaned up after January 6 the guy who expressed for concern for Curtis Bashaw when he passed out in the debate the guy who um um has reformed New Jersey politics forever with getting rid of the line um and so he has this this this really uh strong personality that he's developing for himself that Curtis is not going to be able to overcome we've driven about 82,000 500 miles since January 15th in that car over there uh we've been to 21 counties hundreds of municipalities we've gotten to know the backwaters uh the urban cores the voters in those places say they don't mind the extended wait times to participate in democracy I just think it's really important to take the time not just for the big election but for all the local uh the local selections we're really really fortunate to be able to have this process in our country and if the line was 10 hours long I would have waited 10 hours if you care you have to vote and I care that's all right I'm willing to do that the sun's out it's a beautiful day I mean even if it was snowing and pouring rain i' think I'd still wait I mean you just you have to vote Andy Kim could be the nation's first korean-american Senator while Curtis Bashaw could be New Jersey's first openly gay Senator whichever candidate wins history will be made in the Garden State in Moorestown I'm Ted Goldberg NJ Spotlight news [Music]