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Two doctors are vying to replace Andy Kim in New Jersey's 3rd Congressional race

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Two doctors are vying to replace Andy Kim in New Jersey's 3rd Congressional race

With U.S. Rep. Andy Kim not seeking re-election to his House seat in New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District this year to run for the Senate, Tuesday's race to replace him is primarily a fight between two doctors.

When the congressional map was redrawn after the 2020 census, Ocean County was completely removed from the 3rd District. However, several towns in western Monmouth County were transferred to the district, including: Allentown, Englishtown, Freehold, part of Freehold Township, Holmdel, Manalapan, Marlboro, Millstone, Roosevelt and Upper Freehold.

The effect is that the district's demographics are now far more Democratic-leaning than when half of it was in the Republican bastion of Ocean County.

The Democratic candidate hoping to succeed Kim is Dr. Herb Conaway, who currently represents the 7th Legislative District in the State Assembly, where he is Deputy Speaker. A physician, Conaway is also director of the Burlington County Health Department.

The Republican candidate is Dr. Rajesh Mohan, a cardiologist from Holmdel and president and managing partner of a multi-specialty medical practice. Mohan is affiliated with Community Medical Center in Toms River and Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood.

There are also independent candidates on the ballot: Green Party candidate Steve Welzer, Libertarian Party candidate Chris Russomanno, Justin Barbera of the self-proclaimed Join the Revolution Party (a self-proclaimed God/Family/Country candidate), and the Government transparency advocate Douglas Wynn of the also originally titled “Why Not Wynn Party.”

The problems

On the economic front, Conaway supports expanding the child tax credit and the state and local tax (SALT) deduction to help middle-class families. He also supports legislation that would prohibit companies from “fraudulently reducing the size of their products without correspondingly reducing the price,” which he believes would help further reduce inflation, according to the Conaway campaign.

Mohan supports policies and legislation that would encourage companies to retain jobs in the United States by providing tax breaks and reducing regulatory burdens on companies that “invest in American workers and facilities, strengthen our economy and strengthen national security.” He would also advocate for small businesses through targeted support programs, access to capital and streamlined regulations, according to the Mohan campaign.

Reproductive rights are also an important issue for both candidates, with Conaway supporting legislation that would protect a woman's right to choose on abortion and access to contraceptives.

“As a physician who has made women's health a priority during my 25 years in the state Assembly, I was appalled when the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Roe in June 2022. Wade picked up,” Conaway said. “Now the stakes have never been higher. As some Republicans in Congress vow to pass a nationwide abortion ban, it is imperative that we elect someone with a proven commitment to defending reproductive health.”

While Mohan does not advocate codifying a woman's right to choose in his manifesto, he writes that “government, politicians, lawyers, judges and non-medical organizations should not interfere in medical care provided by doctors that is based on medical science and evidence-based.” -based, whether between a man and his doctor or between a woman and her doctor.” Additionally, he said he is opposed to punishing women or their doctors for their health care decisions.

On other issues, Conaway said better protections were needed to protect democracy in America and he would support passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which would restore parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in Shelby v. Owner decision. “To ensure complete democratic stability, I will continue efforts to establish Election Day as a federal holiday and conduct research into the use of blockchain technology to secure our election information,” he said.

Mohan, who has a firearms license, described himself as a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, with some reservations. Mohan “believes that criminals, terrorists and people with mental disorders who might endanger themselves or others should not be allowed to possess firearms.” He also believes that people should not be able to , owning “rocket launchers, machine guns, or grenades,” and advocates that “background checks, efficiently conducted and time-bound and cross-checked with national and statewide databases, should be a minimum before any gun purchase.”

As doctors, both men have strong opinions about the state of health care in America.

“As a doctor, I find it outrageous that prescription drug prices in the United States are exponentially higher than anywhere else in the world,” Conaway said. “The manufacturer price for any type of insulin in the United States is $98.70 per vial, five to 10 times higher than in any other developed, high-income country.” Insulin is important for many Americans living with diabetes , a medical necessity.”

Mohan argues for the need to optimize access to healthcare. It would support measures to remove bureaucratic hurdles that prevent patients from receiving essential health services. “This includes eliminating the corrupt system of pre-certification and pre-approval by insurance companies that prioritizes profits over the well-being of patients,” he said. “Individuals must not be denied necessary treatment or testing for bureaucratic reasons, and those responsible for such denials must be held accountable for any adverse consequences.”

Environmental protection is a big concern for Conaway. If elected to Congress, he said he would support funding research aimed at maintaining sustainable environmental practices and legislation that expands access to electric vehicle charging in the District.

Mohan sees illegal immigration as a major problem. If elected to Congress, he said he supports an “impenetrable” border wall with innovative technologies, increased surveillance, a stronger Border Patrol force and rapid deportations for those who enter the United States illegally.

Contact Asbury Park Press reporter Erik Larsen at [email protected].

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