Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla’s campaign for New Jersey’s 8th congressional district officially hit the airwaves today, launching two positive spots that focus on Bhalla’s time leading Hoboken and his support for core Democratic policy priorities.
The ads, which will run on television and streaming, are part of a “six-figure ad buy in English and Spanish,” according to Bhalla’s campaign.
In one spot, “Get to Work,” Bhalla lists his own progressive accomplishments in Hoboken, including fighting against climate change and pushing back on the anti-immigrant rhetoric of Donald Trump. The other, “Trust,” features a narrator extolling Bhalla’s virtues on those same topics.
“In Congress, we can trust Ravi to stand up to the MAGA Republicans, because he’s done it before,” the narrator says. “Ravi will protect abortion rights and defend our democracy.”
Notably, neither spot mentions Bhalla’s main opponent: Rep. Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City), who is running for re-election to a second term this year in his Hudson County-based district.
Menendez was first elected in 2022 with minimal opposition, but his political fortunes took a nosedive after his father, Senator Bob Menendez, was indicted last year on federal bribery charges. Bhalla launched his campaign against Menendez last December, and released a poll in February arguing that the race is highly competitive. (Menendez’s polling shows him with a larger advantage over Bhalla and a third candidate, Kyle Jasey.)
In the 4th quarter of last year, Bhalla raised almost $1 million, nearly three times as much as Menendez raised in the same period; new fundraising reports covering the first three months of this year are due by next week. That kind of fundraising haul means Bhalla’s campaign will have lots of money to spend on TV ads – probably including some excoriating Menendez and tying him to his deeply unpopular father.
Get to Work script
Bhalla: “My parents came here as immigrants from India in search of a better life. As a civil rights attorney, I fought discrimination to make lives better. My first act as mayor of Hoboken was taking on Trump when he attacked immigrants. I took action to address flooding and led our economic recovery. I’m Ravi Bhalla, a Democrat running for Congress to get things done, and I approve this message because it’s time to get to work.”
Trust script
Narrator: “Ravi Bhalla gets things done. As Hoboken’s mayor, Ravi actually fought climate change. He sued big oil and tackled flooding, all while leading our economic recovery. Ravi took on Trump’s hate and declared Hoboken a welcome city for all. In Congress, we can trust Ravi to stand up to the MAGA Republicans, because he’s done it before. Ravi will protect abortion rights and defend our democracy.
Bhalla: “I’m Ravi Bhalla and I approve this message.”