Rep. Rob Menendez (DN.J.) will win the Democratic nomination for another term in his House seat representing New Jersey’s 8th Congressional District, Decision Desk HQ projects.
Menéndez fended off primary challenges from Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla and businessman Kyle Jasey for the nomination and will be the heavy favorite to win two more years in the House in November in the solidly Democratic district.
Menendez faced a much tougher primary this year than in his first election in 2022, amid the legal battles surrounding his father, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.). The elder Menendez is in the midst of a federal bribery trial on a wide range of charges.
The congressman is not involved in any of the allegations facing his father, but he faced criticism from detractors who accused him of benefiting from his last name, paving the way for him to be elected to the House in the first place with broad support from the New York Democratic establishment. Jersey.
Bhalla, who was seen as Menendez’s most serious challenger, with Jasey most likely, made these accusations the focal point of his campaign. Menendez and Bhalla differed on some policy issues, but Menendez’s connections to his father consumed much of the primary.
But Menéndez managed to survive with the nomination. Throughout his campaign, he sought to highlight his work in district and constituent services to convince voters that he deserved two more years in Congress.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story