New Jersey

Race to watch: New Jersey's 8th Congressional District

Published

2 years ago

May 29, 2024

Race to watch: New Jersey's 8th Congressional District

Incumbent Rob Menendez

Born and raised in Hudson County, Robert Menendez was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022. His platform is strengthening families and serving the community. On his website, Menendez said he’s working to address the pressures families face because of the increasing costs of housing, energy and food. He introduced the Working Families Task Force Act and is co-sponsoring the Raise the Wage Act of 2023, which would raise the federal minimum wage to $17 an hour by 2027.

Menendez said he also supports the investment in capital improvement projects to build affordable housing with mass transit access.

Additionally, he wants to expand access to affordable health care by lowering prescription drug prices, supporting community health centers and strengthening protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions.

Democrat Ravi Bhalla

Opposing Menendez is Ravi Bhalla, the mayor of Hoboken, born and raised in New Jersey after his parents moved from India.

His website states Bhalla has dedicated his life to advocating for justice, battling discrimination and ensuring every New Jersey resident can pursue the American dream. As mayor of Hoboken, Bhalla said he’s worked to ensure that all who live or work in the community are treated fairly and that the most vulnerable residents are protected. He signed an ordinance establishing living wages for all building service workers and protections against displacement at any building that receives city subsidies.

He noted he has been a strong champion of organized labor and that, if elected to Congress, he will fight to pass the Protect the Right to Organize Act, or PRO Act, to protect the right to form or join a union and ensure workers enjoy decent jobs, wages, benefits and working conditions. He said he would fight to increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, create millions of living-wage union jobs, make the expanded child tax credit permanent, expand Social Security benefits for all and close the carried interest loophole so that the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share of taxes.

As a father of two, Bhalla said he’s experienced the child care crisis first-hand and will make addressing it one of his top priorities. Bhalla said he will fight to pass universal background checks when purchasing firearms, banning assault weapons and support the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to keep guns out of the hands of those who may harm themselves or others.

Democrat Kyle Jasey

Also in the race is Kyle Jasey, the CEO of Jasey Capital Group.

He was born and raised in New Jersey after his maternal grandfather’s family immigrated from Jamaica.

As a child, Jasey said he loved animals and “probably had more pets than anyone you’ve ever met.” He enjoyed fishing, exploring in the woods and playing sports.

Jasey was hospitalized with long COVID and now believes low-cost or free health care for all Americans should be a top priority. He supports access to safe and legal abortions; he said on his website that every individual deserves the autonomy to make informed decisions about their reproductive health.

Another top priority for Jasey is revitalizing education, and he stressed the importance of investing in public schools. He also supports efforts to ensure prisons equip inmates with the skills and knowledge necessary for successful reintegration into society. Jasey said effective rehabilitation and education in prisons are key to reducing high recidivism rates, which ultimately lead to inflated prison populations and escalating crime rates.

His mother, Mila Jasey, is a New Jersey assemblywoman.

The lone Republican, Anthony Valdes

In the Republican primary, Anthony Valdes is running unopposed.

A longtime resident of West New York, New Jersey, Valdes has described himself as a “public servant.” In a letter to the editor of the Hudson County View, Valdes said inflation is a major issue and noted the U.S. is now embroiled in international conflicts. He also expressed concern that the southern U.S. border “remains wide open and completely unsecured.”

A profession for Valdes was not immediately available, and he does not appear to have a campaign website. WHYY News reached out for more information.

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Related Topics:elections 2024 Featured u.s. sen. robert menendez

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New Jersey

N.J. group demands review of Trenton immigration arrest operation at auto shop

Published

6 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

N.J. group demands review of Trenton immigration arrest operation at auto shop

U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-Mercer, said in a statement on Facebook that she has been briefed about the incident and her office is monitoring the situation.

Pazmino said her organization is calling on members of the community to come together.

“Brown and Black immigrant communities and nonimmigrant communities are welcome, and should be uniting against this force,” she said.

She is also calling on local officials to assist relatives of those taken into custody.

“We need to support families affected by these kidnappings, with mutual aid, donations and anything else you think will help each other,” Pazmino said.

A woman identified as Andrea, while holding her 1-year-old daughter, Genesis, tearfully spoke in Spanish about the anguish she feels and her fears about the future without her husband Christian, one of the men taken into custody. A friend, who translated her word into English, said Christian was a good and honest man.

“If he used to see a neighbor carrying something heavy, he would run to help them. If a friend needed a favor, he didn’t ask, he just did it,” she said.

Andrea (left) whose husband, Christian, was taken into custody during a raid on a Trenton auto repair shop, holds her 1-year-old daughter, Genesis, while translator Ashley Batz reads her statement in English. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

She said “his daughter was his whole world. He would wake up to her and give her kisses every morning. He would play with her after a long day at work. He loved us and protected us. He didn’t do anything wrong, so why was he taken?”

The Rev. Erich Kussman, St. Bartholomew’s pastor, said the entire Lutheran Church stands with the family.

“Anything you need, you can come to us. I want you to know that. I will stand with you, and we will do what we can to protect you, because that’s the call of the gospel of Jesus Christ,” he said.

“Standing with ICE is antithetical to the gospel of Jesus Christ, hands down,” he added. “Fifty-one times the scriptures tell us to welcome the immigrant and foreigner as one of our own. If you’re not living true to that gospel, the words of Christ himself, you are not a Christian, no matter what you claim to be.”

With immigration enforcement activity on the rise in New Jersey, lawmakers have proposed several bills to expand protections for immigrant communities. One measure called the “Fight Unlawful Conduct and Keep Individuals and Communities Empowered Act” would allow individuals to file a lawsuit against ICE agents who violate their constitutional rights.

Asma Elhuni speaking at a podium — Asma Elhuni, an organizer with Resistencia En Acción NJ speaks at a press conference at St. Bartholomew Lutheran Church in Trenton, joined by pastor Erich Kussman. The group was responding to the detention of three workers at Agudo’s Repair Shop on Feb. 20, 2026. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

Another proposed bill would require any business that operates a private prison or detention facility in the state to pay a tax equal to 50% of the taxpayer’s gross receipts derived from the operation of the facility during the previous year. The bill also stipulates all revenues generated would go to an “immigration protection fund.”

Recently proposed legislation would prohibit ICE agents from ever holding a public job in the Garden State, and New Jersey U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and Andy Kim are proposing legislation to prevent new funding for the Department of Homeland Security from being used to purchase a warehouse in Roxbury, New Jersey.

Requests for comment from ICE and the U.S. Marshals Service were not immediately returned.

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New Jersey

Spring’s coming; Sunny, warm Saturday and significant warm-up ahead NJ

Published

18 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Spring’s coming; Sunny, warm Saturday and significant warm-up ahead NJ

A brief respite from cold weather is ahead of New Jersey this weekend, before temperatures continue to rise late next week, according to the National Weather Service.

Saturday, Feb. 28 will be sunny across the Garden State, and temperatures will be comfortable, reaching the high 40s and low 50s.

Then, a brief artic cold front is expected to move into the region late on Saturday night, bringing temps to low 30’s and some scattered snow showers on Sunday, especially in North Jersey.

During the week, a couple low pressure systems are in the NWS forecast. Little snow if any is expected from these systems, especially in the late week, when a significant warm-up is expected.

Asbury Park and Monmouth County weekend weather forecast

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45.

Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33.

Sunday: Partly sunny and a chance of snow before 1 p.m. The high should be near 39. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 22.

Wildwoods and Atlantic County weather forecast

Saturday: Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 56.

Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.

Sunday: Partly sunny and a slight chance of rain before 1 p.m. The high should be near 44. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 19.