Center For Strategic Politics
50%40%30%20%10%0%
42%
27%
Democrat
Incumbent
IncumbentRobert Menendez Jr.
Incumbent Democratic candidate for U.S. House in New Jersey
$2.7K
NOV 7, 2026
General Election
Voters choose the office holder.
Live Odds
Current prediction-market probability for the candidate, updated as market prices change.
Robert Menendez Jr. is trading at 96% to win the NJ-08 House winner? on prediction markets.
Candidate Overview
Key details about the candidate’s background, party, office sought and current campaign.
Current roleU.S. Representative
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyMainstream Democrat
Age41 years old (Jul 12, 1985)
GenderMale
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LocationNew Jersey
BackgroundAttorney
EducationB.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2008)
Notable personal detailsRobert Jacobsen Menendez Jr. is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for New Jersey's 8th congressional district (in office since 2023). Before Congress, he served on the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Board of Commissioners and worked as an attorney at Lowenstein Sandler. He earned a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a J.D. from Rutgers Law School (Newark).
SourcesShowHide
history.house.govmenendez.house.govfec.goven.wikipedia.orgwikidata.orgwikizero.orges.wikipedia.orgdocquery.fec.govpt.wikipedia.orgpatch.comnj.govthemidtermproject.orgfundvoter.orgtrucking.orgthegreenpapers.comreddit.comrobmenendez.commeetthefreshmen.marathonstrategies.comobserver.comwhyy.orghudsontoday.comhudsoncountyview.comwrnjradio.comngwa.orgbradypac.orgnewjerseyglobe.comcampaignsdaily.comcbsnews.comirs.govbooker.senate.govnjea.orginsidernj.comlocalcandidates.orginstagram.comnj.combluevoterguide.orgfacebook.comnewjerseymonitor.comx.comgovinfo.govclerk.house.govjustfacts.votesmart.orgstatic.votesmart.orgde.wikipedia.orgfr.wikipedia.orghouse.govcongress.govballotready.org
Political Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Supports policies that provide tax relief and credits for working- and middle-class families (including expanding the Child Tax Credit and other credits), backs wage growth and pro-worker measures, and participates in efforts to restore state and local tax (SALT) relief for New Jersey taxpayers. Positions emphasize targeted tax credits and investments to help working families rather than broad tax cuts for corporations or wealthy individuals.
Healthcare
Supports lowering the cost of health insurance and prescription drugs, protecting individuals with pre-existing conditions, expanding access to affordable care through community health centers, and improving equity and access to medical care. Advocates using and strengthening Affordable Care Act mechanisms and government programs to expand coverage and affordability.
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Immigration & Border
Robert (Rob) Menendez Jr. has criticized aggressive ICE actions, participated in oversight of an ICE immigration detention center, and supported legal services for immigrants in his district. Local reporting documents he has expressed support for abolishing ICE and has positioned himself against hard-line enforcement tactics while advocating for increased legal supports for immigrants.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate supports protecting the right to choose and codifying reproductive rights into federal law, has cosponsored bills to protect contraception access and the right to abortion care, and supports access to medication abortion. He has received endorsements from reproductive-rights organizations.
Climate & Energy
Supports climate action and clean energy investment, emphasizing environmental justice, upgrades to clean-energy infrastructure (electric buses, EV charging), and policies toward a zero-emissions future while using legislative and oversight tools to defend EPA climate protections.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports re-enacting and expanding a federal assault weapons ban, widening the scope of background checks (including private sales), endorsing federal extreme risk protection orders, addressing ghost guns, and promoting safe-storage laws and school protections.
Latest News
AINews Summary
Last updatedJul 15, 2026
Robert Menendez Jr. won the Democratic primary in New Jersey’s 8th Congressional District, keeping him in the race for the House seat. He also backed the proposed Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act, which would require clearer caffeine labeling on energy drinks. More broadly, his primary win comes as Democrats are seeing stronger progressive momentum in other contests ahead of the 2026 midterms.
history.house.gov+47
Articles
NNJ.com3 months ago
2026 New Jersey primary election results: U.S. Senate, House, county and local elections
Positive
NYNew York Post6 months ago
Parents take on energy drinks after daughter's caffeine death
Positive
PPOLITICO3 months ago
Centrist Democrats are freaking out about progressives’ winning streak
Neutral
NNorthjersey.Com3 months ago
See NJ Congressional District 2026 primary election results
Neutral
Latest Polls
NJ-08 Democratic nominee?
Recent polling results and the candidate's current average in the race.
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Campaign Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 2026Campaign finance totals from the latest available reporting period.
Total raisedCash on hand
$2.4M
$1.8M
$1.2M
$596.2K
$0
2022
2024
2026
LatestYear
Total raised
Cash on hand
Total spent
Burn rate
Cycle 2022
$1.8M
$355.2K
$1.4M
$58.2K
Cycle 2024
$2.4M
$276.7K
$2.5M
$102.6K
Cycle 2026
$2.0M
$679.7K
$1.6M
$86.4K
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Endorsements