Don’t try talking to Rep. Thomas H. Kean Jr. in the hallway.

In a rare interview, Kean told ROI-NJ, an online media site concentrating on business news, that it’s important to have good relations with the press. However, he added:

“But I do have a long-standing policy that when we’re on government property and when I’m on my constituents’ time, I don’t do hallway interviews.”

All this has to do with the CD-7 congressman standing silently while a D.C – based reporter tried to engage him in conversation. Forget about policies.

Kean even refused to talk about the Yankees or what he had for lunch.

A video of this “exchange” is making the rounds and is being used by Sue Altman, Kean’s opponent.

Kean’s aversion to “hallway interviews” is a bit off-the-wall.  Anyone who watches the news sees members of the House and Senate – regardless of political persuasion – talking to reporters in the halls of Congress all the time.

It really is part of the job of a public official.

Kean in the interview also talked about having town halls and meeting people at events. The problem is that the congressman has no live town halls and unlike most other elected officials, keeps his schedule under wraps.

As an aside, I go to many political events of both parties, but Kean refuses to allow the press to attend his. That was the case most recently when he had a lunch in Long Valley with California Rep. Darrell Issa.

The fact Kean sat for an interview and addressed the issue is interesting.

Maybe the interview occurred in the natural order of things or perhaps the congressman felt the need to counteract an unflattering video. Is he feeling some heat?

* * *

Sunday night debate watchers saw Curtis Bashaw freeze up on the stage, so much so that the debate was suspended for a few minutes.

Give Bashaw’s campaign credit for trying to make the best of a bad situation. Here’s a Monday missive from the campaign:

“After Bashaw suffered an episode of dizziness during last night’s debate due to a lack of food, Curtis Bashaw for United States Senate today announced the “Fill Up Jersey” Food Tour, where he will be filling up on the Garden State’s most delicious food for the next four weeks.”

Bashaw said on Sunday that he didn’t eat much that day. The food junket is designed to make sure that does not happen again.

The first scheduled stop on the tour is a pancake restaurant in Cape May Tuesday afternoon.

What’s next?

Well, the Bashaw campaign is asking residents to help out. Here’s what he said:

“We also want to know from our friends and supporters – which place in New Jersey has the best pizza? Where can we find the best burger? Who makes the best bagels? What’s your favorite breakfast spot? Let us know on social media, and we’ll let you know our favorite places too.”

Plans are for the candidate to visit one restaurant in all of New Jersey’s 21 counties.

There are two more debates scheduled.

For the sake of a competitive election, one has to hope Bashaw doesn’t overdo it by overeating and falling asleep on stage.

* * *

Republican leaders in New Jersey have been trying for a long time to get their supporters to vote-by-mail.

The mantra is simple: Don’t wait until Election Day. Bank your vote. Let’s beat the Democrats at their own game.

Go to a GOP event and this point is made all the time.

It is, of course, a solid strategy.

But it’s probably not going to happen.

The mail-in voting period has just begun, but as of Tuesday, Democrats across the state had returned an estimated 155,000 ballots to an estimated 49,000 for Republicans. That according to the AP.

Donald Trump has been outspoken about voting in-person, seeing it as more patriotic, more American, or more something.

And for many Republicans, that apparently is all that counts.