Rep. Rob Menendez bests Hoboken mayor in nasty House race

Rep. Rob Menendez has been projected to win the Democratic nomination for House in the 8th District, defeating Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla in what was potentially the nastiest race in the state. 

The Associated Press called the race for Menendez at 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, leading a crowd gathered to hear him speak at Hudson Hall in Jersey City to erupt in applause and chant, “We won! We won!”

“This election, there was an incredible amount of noise — things that people read in their mailbox, things they had to see on TV — but at the end of the day, they looked at our track record,” Menendez told the crowd.

Another candidate, Kyle Jasey, came in a distant third.

Menendez campaigned for reelection this year as his father, Sen. Bob Menendez, is standing trial in Manhattan on federal bribery charges. The younger Menendez, who won an easy victory in his first bid for the House in 2022, saw himself the target of attacks by critics like Bhalla who tried to tie him to his father’s alleged crimes.

Menendez on the campaign trail often noted that Bhalla endorsed him for Congress just two years ago. During a debate, Bhalla claimed he was forced to endorse the younger Menendez during a phone call while Sen. Menendez was listening.

Several prominent Democrats were present at Menendez’s victory party, including former Gov. Jim McGreevey, who is running for mayor in Jersey City, and Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who ran uncontested in Tuesday’s primary in the 5th District. 

Menendez is all but sure to win the overwhelmingly Democratic district in November.