Two soon-to-be state senators from Hudson County, State Sens.-elect Angela McKnight (D-Jersey City) and Raj Mukherji (D-Jersey City), both endorsed Rep. Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City) this morning for re-election to the Hudson County-based 8th congressional district. (The county’s third senator, State Sen./Union City Mayor Brian Stack, endorsed Menendez earlier this month.)
“A lawmaker’s top priority should be constituent services,” Mukherji said in a statement. “Since his swearing-in, Rob has been a relentless advocate for our shared constituents in Jersey City and Hoboken… Rob’s work ethic, zeal, and compassion assure me that the people of the district will be the biggest winners when we return Rob to Congress next year.”
Although he has the backing of the powerful Hudson Democratic organization, Menendez is in political peril next year due largely to the legal cloud surrounding his father, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez. The younger Menendez faces a serious primary challenge from Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, and polling shows he could be vulnerable.
Mukherji’s and McKnight’s endorsements are especially notable given that the top official in their hometown, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, has refused to back Menendez; by breaking with Fulop, the two senators-elect are signaling that the mayor’s decision is a personal one and doesn’t necessarily apply to the rest of the Jersey City Democratic organization.
“The constituents that Rob and I share in Jersey City, Bayonne, and Kearny have all benefited from his unwavering efforts on their behalf in Washington and in our communities,” McKnight said. “No matter the issue, Rob has always answered the call and worked for the betterment of our residents. Through his partnership and dedication, Rob has earned my support in 2024.”
Mukherji also represents Hoboken, which first elected Bhalla as mayor in 2017. If Bhalla does well anywhere in next year’s primary, it will likely be in Mukherji’s district, which includes the gentrifying parts of Jersey City and Hoboken where Menendez did the worst in his uncompetitive 2022 primary to get to Congress.
Bhalla and Fulop are the lone two Hudson mayors from the 8th district to snub Menendez; the other nine have all backed the freshman congressman, as has Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.