U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez (D-8) raised $677,775.32 in the first quarter of this year, almost double what he did in the fourth quarter of 2023, with $1,175,405.20 cash on hand, his campaign said today.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Menendez is seeking a second term with the backing of the Democratic organizations in Hudson, Essex, and Union Counties, though he won’t have the benefit of county lines in this cycle and one of his opponents, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, had over a million dollars raised by early 2024.
The incumbent raised $348,068.19 in the fourth quarter of last year, a number that dramatically improved after he hired veteran New Jersey Democratic fundraiser Ray Ferraioli, who owns and runs H&P Consulting, LLC.
The Federal Elections Commission (FEC) filing deadline for candidates in the June 4th primary is Monday, April 15th, with reports likely available sometime in the next week.
Bhalla has not released his 1st quarter tallies yet, nor has the third candidate in the race, Kyle Jasey.
A big war chest will be essential for messaging as the campaign hits a critical juncture, with vote-by-mail ballots going out on April 20th. Both Menendez and Bhalla have already sent out multiple mailers to voters, while Bhalla did at least one cable TV ad buy.
The other wrinkle in this contest, which some political analysts believe could draw national attention in the closing weeks, is that U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Rob’s father, will go to trial on a litany of federal corruption charges on May 6th.
While his wife Nadine’s trial was delayed due to undisclosed health issues, New Jersey’s senior senator said through counsel that he did not want any further delays, citing his right to a speedy trial and the possibility that he may seek re-election as an independent.
That’s nearly as much as his dad has hiding in the pockets of sports coats in his Bergen County compound.