U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez Jr. will have a Democratic Primary next year in Congressional District 8, as Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla gears up to try to dethrone the incumbent.

Bhalla continues to fundraise for his off-the-line challenge to Menendez, backed by the Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO).

It’s ugly early.

In his announcement video, over images of Menendez Jr. and his father, indicted Senator Bob Menendez, Bhalla says, “I believe that America is better than the demagogues who seek to divide us or the politicians who strive only to serve themselves.”

And this is what Menendez Jr. said when Bhalla formally announced his candidacy last week:

“I welcome Ravi into the race especially since he can validate the work we’ve done on behalf of the residents of Hoboken including advocating for the expansion of the Southwest Resiliency Park, supporting Safe Streets for All grants for Hoboken, battling helicopter noise, and introducing the Local Solutions to End Homelessness Act to benefit Hoboken and Hudson County. While we have advocated tirelessly for Hoboken, it seems the only reason Ravi has entered the race after endorsing me in 2022 and publicly applauding our work this year is because a week after losing control of the city council, he sees no political future for himself in Hoboken.”

Sources describe behind-the-scenes drama in Hudson, with multiple storylines – including Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop’s gubernatorial campaign, a developing contest for the JC mayoralty, and divisions within the HCDO – making the CD-8 primary more than merely an HCDO beatdown of a hapless challenger. Of course, next year also features a presidential contest, and a possible rematch between sitting U.S. President Joe Biden and the man he conquered in 2020, multiply indicted former President Donald J. Trump.

NJ insiders find the Hudson dynamics especially entertaining, and with that in mind, here’s a serious question posed ahead of the 2024 Democratic Primary: