The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) endorsed Rep. Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City) for re-election today, becoming the latest prominent union to take Menendez’s side in the Democratic primary for the 8th congressional district.
“From his advocacy on protecting public transit operators from assault to securing billions in funding for mass transit projects like Gateway, Rob has been fighting for us in New Jersey’s 8th congressional district and in Washington,” ATU International President John Costa said in a statement. “And in just a year, he has built up a strong pro-labor legislative record, including his introduction of the Working Families Task Force Act and his co-sponsorship of the PRO Act.”
The endorsement comes both from ATU International and from the ATU New Jersey State Council; the nationwide union has more than 200,000 members in the public transit industry.
Menendez was first elected to the 8th district, which covers most of Hudson County as well as Elizabeth and parts of Newark, in 2022. During his first term in Congress, he has held a seat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which deals with many of the issues that most concern the ATU.
But thanks to the federal indictment against his father, Senator Bob Menendez, the younger Menendez may be in political danger this year. Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla has announced a primary challenge against him, and has already raised $1 million.
Menendez, though, has the near-unequivocal support of Democratic leaders in Hudson County, as well as lots of backing from labor unions; in addition to the ATU, the Hudson County Central Labor Council, the Hudson County Building and Construction Trades Council, and the state’s largest firefighters’ and carpenters’ unions have all endorsed him for re-election.
See here for a full list of endorsements in New Jersey’s 2024 congressional contests.