A top Democratic officeholder from Jersey City is taking sides in the Democratic congressional primary in the 8th district, endorsing Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla over the incumbent, Rep. Robert J. Menendez (D-Jersey City).
Joyce Watterman, the Jersey City council president and a candidate for mayor next year, said she’s “tired of being disrespected by those who sit in seats of power. I’m tired of false promises and secret partnerships.”
“As mayor of Hoboken, Ravi has delivered for his community. From taking on the crisis of affordability to ensuring that our most vulnerable residents are taken care of, Congress would benefit a great deal from Ravi’s leadership,” Watterman said. “And throughout his time as a public servant – first as a city council member and then as mayor – Ravi has provided a strong and consistent voice against hatred, racism, and discrimination in all its forms. He is the kind of representative we need in our corner, which is why he has my full and enthusiastic support.”
Bhalla also has the endorsement of James Solomon, a city councilman representing the downtown Jersey City ward.
In endorsing Bhalla, Watterman is going against the wishes of the broader Hudson County Democratic organization, which is supporting Menendez. It’s not Watterman’s first time doing that this year; she was also an early backer of Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown) in his bid for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, defying the Hudson Democratic organization’s support for First Lady Tammy Murphy.
Watterman’s endorsement of Kim presaged a similar announcement from Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, who initially backed Murphy but later switched his support. Fulop hasn’t yet made an endorsement in the race for the 8th congressional district, but he did say last year that he was “not on board” with supporting Menendez for re-election.
Watterman complained today that women are underrepresented in New Jersey government. A woman has not represented the Jersey City congressional seat since 1950, when Rep. Mary T. Norton (D-Jersey City) – the first woman to represent New Jersey in the U.S. House of Representatives – retired after fourteen years in the House.