Curtis Bashaw was talking – again – about Andy Kim being a “D.C. insider.”

Kim had heard enough.

He broke in to say he found Bashaw’s description “very offensive.”

Kim said he has risked his life for the U.S. as an advisor in war zones and that Bashaw was callously belittling public service.

“It’s about knowing the issues,” Kim said. “I just do not appreciate the labeling.”

He then told Bashaw:

“Have some respect for public servants.”

“I do,” Bashaw said

“No, no you don’t,” Kim said.

“I applaud public service,” Bashaw replied.

He then spoke about serving in public positions as head of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority and as a member of the board of trustees at Stockton University.

But Bashaw also stressed his 35 years in the hotel business, adding that he considers his business a “public service” in its own right, referring to the number of people he employs and the taxes he pays.

The exchange occurred Tuesday night at what was called a “conversation,” not a debate, by NJ Spotlight News.

The two U.S. Senate candidates sat opposite each other with the moderators – Brianna Vannozzi and David Cruz – between them.

This was an informal setting, but some of the exchanges were more pointed than they were during a more formal debate on Oct. 7.

Abortion was another key issue.

Unlike most Republicans, Bashaw is pro-choice.

He said he thinks that as a pro-choice voice in a GOP Senate caucus, he can help find common ground on this overly-divisive issue. Or as Bashaw put it, it’s time to “roll up our sleeves.”

Bashaw’s abortion views are certainly in step with a majority of state residents. The political problem is that they are not in step with the MAGA-base of the Republican Party. The America First Republicans, in fact, a pro-Trump group, harshly criticized Bashaw’s earlier debate performance and his pro abortion rights position.

Kim was skeptical about Bashaw’s pro-choice views, noting that it was a Supreme Court with three Trump-appointed judges that overturned Roe in the first place. And Kim said Bashaw backs Trump for president.

Bashaw said the issue has to do with challenging one’s own party. which he said is something Kim does not do.

Kim took exception.

He said he stood up to his party just by running for the Senate at a time when Democratic leaders in New Jersey were supporting Tammy Murphy. The First Lady eventually backed out of the race.

If abortion is a big issue for Democrats, immigration is the key issue for Republicans.

Bashaw said Kim and the Democrats have done nothing to stop people from entering the country illegally, and as a result, thousands of migrants in the state are making people feel uneasy.

This led up to Bashaw’s best moment so far in his two interactions with Kim.

As he does often, Bashaw spoke about visiting the southern border earlier this year and seeing 62 people just walk into the U.S. between 12:30 and 3 a.m.

He asked Kim if he had visited the border during his time in the House and the congressman said he had not.