Bucking most of his fellow Hudson County Democrats, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop said this morning that “it’s time to move on” from Rep. Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City), the son of indicted U.S. Senator Bob Menendez and the congressman for most of Hudson County.
“I’m not on board with supporting Rob Menendez for another term in Congress,” Fulop said on Twitter. “It’s time to move on… I believe a clean slate is needed and is best for both Hudson County and New Jersey.”
The younger Menendez has been in political danger ever since an explosive federal indictment was released against his father in late September, though the congressman himself is not implicated in his father’s legal troubles. Menendez was a first-time candidate for office when he ran for the House in 2022, and it was widely understood that his father played a major role in getting Hudson Democrats to choose him as their candidate.
Last week, Hudson Democratic Chairman Anthony Vainieri announced that the county Democratic organization would once again be supporting Congressman Menendez for re-election to the 8th congressional district, even as it snubs Senator Menendez in favor of First Lady Tammy Murphy in the state’s Senate race. Nine of the eleven Hudson County mayors whose towns are represented by Congressman Menendez have since added their names to his endorsement list.
But Fulop made it clear this morning that he will not be among them.
“When the Senator first got indicted, I thought maybe I could separate the father and son, and I even expressed that to Rob,” Fulop said. “As time went on, I realized it is impossible to do that and the situations are tied together. It’s not a secret that Rob got to Congress only because of his dad’s influence, so it’s fair to move on from Rob now because of that same influence.”
Senator Menendez has thus far refused to resign, and may even seek re-election, despite the vast array of state Democrats aligned against him; he’s also lashed out at many of those Democrats, including his old allies at the Hudson Democratic organization, saying that he “know[s] where all the skeletons in closets are” in Hudson County. Congressman Menendez has declined to distance himself from those comments, which Fulop said is another mark against him.
“It is also clear that the Senator continues to say he will still run for re-election despite the embarrassment for our state, the Senator still threatens people privately and publicly, and the congressman has not separated himself from any of it,” Fulop said. “I understand it’s his dad, but it’s unreasonable to be linked together because of family only when it helps.”
The one other 8th district Hudson mayor who hasn’t lined up behind the younger Menendez’s re-election bid is Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, who is mulling a congressional campaign of his own against the congressman and already has more than $500,000 banked. Pending Bhalla’s final decision, real estate lender Kyle Jasey is currently the lone declared challenger in the 8th district race, after dropping down from a U.S. Senate campaign last month.
Asked whether he planned on backing Bhalla or another Menendez challenger, Fulop said that he hasn’t decided yet.
“It’s too early to comment on that as we don’t know who is running, but I’m certainly reserving the right to get involved in the race in a meaningful way and to decide later,” he said.
Congressman Menendez, meanwhile, isn’t taking Fulop’s criticisms lying down; hours after Fulop’s initial statement, Menendez hit back, attacking the mayor for his 2025 gubernatorial run and his alleged failures in Jersey City.
“With respect to Steve, he has been running for governor unsuccessfully since he was elected mayor in 2013, always at the expense of Jersey City residents,” Menendez said. “Steve’s absence from the city – whether spending time at his Rhode Island mansion preventing people from accessing the beach or traveling the state for his own political ambition – has led to a housing affordability crisis, a broken budget and 911 calls that go unanswered.”
“Steve Fulop is right that it’s time to move on – time to move on from his failed leadership in Jersey City,” he continued.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) also stood up for Menendez.
“I always try to call balls and strikes. Since the day he was elected, Rob Menendez has worked his ass off for Jersey and his District. Whether it’s fighting for infrastructure and mass transit, standing up to the Congestion Tax, or working to restore SALT, I’ve had a front row seat to his commitment and action for hardworking Jersey families,” Gottheimer said. “That’s why our state needs him back in Washington, and why mayors and elected officials from across Hudson County are standing strong with him.”
This story was updated at 12:25 p.m. with comment from Congressman Menendez and at 4:43 PM with comment from Congressman Gottheimer.