The corruption trial of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) is overshadowing a knock-down, drag-out Democratic primary battle in New Jersey’s 8th Congressional District, where the senator’s son, U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez, is running for reelection.
The first-term incumbent once benefited from his father’s political influence in his first campaign, but this time, voters are seeing the relationship through a very different lens.
Menendez’s (D-8th) main challenger is Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla. Both candidates have used political attack ads to undermine their opponent’s character, with Menendez hitting Bhalla over ethics issues and Bhalla hitting Menendez over his embattled father.
Menendez also must deal with another hurdle: the lack of the party-line ballot that would have given him an added advantage. For the first time, New Jersey’s notorious ballot design is no longer for Democratic primaries, and instead, Menendez is the last one listed on the new randomly selected order of candidates.
Without that advantage, this primary election especially will test whether powerful political party organizations can get out the necessary vote for their preferred candidates.
Hudson View reporter John Heinis said Menendez is still the favorite. Gov. Phil Murphy turned up at a Menendez rally over the weekend, he said, and mayors like Brian Stack in Union City will drive voters to the polls for the incumbent congressman. Kyle Jasey, the third Democratic candidate, will also probably pull votes from Bhalla, Heinis said.
Republican Anthony Valdes is running unopposed for the GOP nomination. Polls close at 8pm.
