U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-5) says U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez (D-8) should be re-elected since he has “worked his ass off for Jersey and his District.”
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“I always try to call balls and strikes. Since the day he was elected, Congressman 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 on social media this evening.
“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.”
Gottheimer, a likely Democratic candidate for governor, and Menendez have formed a strong political alliance this year, for example blasting congestion pricing at a press conference outside of the Holland Tunnel in Jersey City.
On Friday, Menendez received the backing of the Hudson County Democratic Organization through Chair Anthony Vainieri, with 10 local mayors and Hudson County Executive-elect Craig Guy quickly hopping on board before the end of the weekend.
The only two exceptions are Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, a likely challenger to Menendez in the June 4th, 2024 primary, and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, who has had an icy relationship with U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Rob’s father, for years.
Fulop said today that he thought it was time to move on from the younger Menendez due to the federal corruption charges against the senator, who is also accused of acting as a foreign agent to Egypt, which led to some intense social media sparring between the two this morning.
The Jersey City mayor has previously called on Bob Menendez to resign and later called for him to be expelled in an interview with HCV on the day that the superseding indictment was unsealed.
Fulop is currently the only declared candidate for governor and therefore Gottheimer is a potential opponent in the June 3rd, 2025 primary.
