Rob Menendez

On April 15, 2021, Menendez was nominated to be a commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey by Governor Phil Murphy.[10] He was unanimously confirmed by the New Jersey State Senate on June 3, 2021,[11] and sworn in on June 4.[12] Menendez's appointment marked the first time a Latino American from New Jersey served on the board, and the first millennial to serve as a commissioner.[13] During his tenure, Menendez chaired the Governance and Ethics Committee and was a member of the Finance Committee, which oversees the Port Authority’s multi-billion-dollar annual budget.[14] He resigned as commissioner on January 2, 2023, the day before he joined Congress.[15]

As a member of the Democratic Party, Menendez announced his bid for New Jersey's 8th congressional district upon the retirement announcement of incumbent representative Albio Sires, who subsequently endorsed Menendez.[16] His father represented the area before Sires from 1993 to 2006, when it was numbered the 13th congressional district.[17]

Menendez was also endorsed by other political leaders, including New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy,[18] U.S. Senator Cory Booker,[19] State Senator and Union City Mayor Brian Stack,[9] State Senator and North Bergen Mayor Nicholas J. Sacco,[20] Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop,[20] Newark Mayor Ras Baraka,[21] Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage,[22] and others.

Menendez campaigned on addressing the needs of working- and middle-class families and the challenges associated with the rising costs of basic necessities such as housing, healthcare, education and family care. He spoke often about infrastructure investments, gun control, and reproductive choice.[23]

A centerpiece of Menendez's campaign was support for organized labor and workers rights. He was endorsed by numerous labor unions during his campaign, including the Communication Workers of America;[24] International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers;[25] International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 825;[26] Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters;[27] Hudson County Central Labor Council;[28] American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees International Union;[29] International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 164;[30] Hotel Trades Council;[31] New Jersey Education Association;[32] National Education Association;[32] Service Employees International Union 32BJ;[33] Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association;[34] Laborers International Union of North America;[35] Hudson County Building and Construction Trades Council;[36] New Jersey State Council of Machinists;[37] Health Professionals & Allied Employees;[38] New Jersey State American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organization;[39] New Jersey State Building & Construction Trades Council;[40] Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey;[41] International Association of Fire Fighters;[41] Transport Workers Union of America;[42] New Jersey State Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association;[43] and Teamsters Joint Council 73.[44]

While running in his own race, Menendez raised and contributed $100,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, with the funds directed to Democratic incumbents and challengers running in battleground districts, of whom a majority were reelected or elected, with a focus on female, LGBTQ+, and other diverse candidates.[45]

In the primary election, Menendez defeated two challengers, David Ocampo Grajales and Ane Roseborough-Eberhard, with 83.6% of the vote to Grajales's 11.3% and Roseborough-Eberhard's 5.1%.[46]

In the general election, Menendez defeated Republican nominee Marcos Arroyo, 73.6% to 23.4%.[47]

As a representative-elect, Menendez was elected by members of the Democratic freshman class to serve as freshman representative on the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee for 2023, a committee that determines the committee assignments of the House Democratic Caucus and works with House Democratic leadership to set policy priorities.[48] He was also appointed to serve as a Regional Whip, a post in which he is responsible for assisting the Democratic Whip operation to track votes and for advising regional Democratic members of Congress on legislation brought to the floor.[49]

Menendez is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, serving as part of the largest class of Latino Democrats in Congress.[50] Menendez visited the U.S.-Mexico border in February 2023 with a group of House Democrats, for his first Congressional delegation after taking office.[51] For his first international CODEL, Menendez traveled to Israel and Jordan in late April and early May 2023, as a member of a 17-member bipartisan delegation.[52]

• Transportation and Infrastructure Committee[53]
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
  • Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
  • Subcommittee on Aviation

• Committee on Homeland Security[54]
  • Subcommittee on Cyber Security

• Congressional Hispanic Caucus[55]
• House Pro-Choice Caucus
• Congressional Equality Caucus
• Congressional Dads' Caucus[56]
• House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism