U.S. House · New Jersey's 8th District

Hudson and parts of Essex and Union counties, including Jersey City, Union City, and Elizabeth.

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

✓ Fact-checked 2026-09-25: 20 claims re-checked against their sources · 2 corrected · 0 removed

A second, independent research pass re-opened every cited source for this race and corrected or removed anything the source didn’t support.

  • Context primary-result sentence (68.8% Menendez vs. Ali) cited only s1, which doesn't show the vote percentage; added s3 (Menendez's own Ballotpedia page, which does) as a source.
  • Menendez summary said he served on the House 'Committee on Financial Services'; the cited source (s3) lists 'Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs' for his 2023-2024 assignment, so corrected the summary to match the source's wording.

On the ballot · 4 candidates

Where they stand — side by side

Only positions documented in a cited source are shown. Where an officeholder’s recorded votes speak to an issue, the votes set the position (marked “votes”). A dash means we found no clear public position — not that the candidate has none.

ISSUERobert Menendez Jr.
D
Craig Honts
Socialist Workers Party
Da'Shone Hughey
We The People Party
Aristotle Eliopoulos
IND
Expand immigration enforcement and deportationsOpposes[7][8][9][10][11]votes———
Raise taxes on high earners or corporationsSupports[8][9][10]votes———
Expand public health coverageSupports[8][9][10][12]votes——Mixed[6]
Faster transition away from fossil fuelsSupports[8][9][10]votes———
Broad tariffs on imported goodsOpposes[13]votes———

The candidates, in full

Robert Menendez Jr.

DINCUMBENTU.S. Representative, NJ-8 (since 2023)

Robert Menendez Jr. is the Democratic incumbent for New Jersey's 8th Congressional District, first elected in 2022. He serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and previously served on the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.[3]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

Key votes in Congress

  • YesWar Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · H. Con. Res. 86 · Passed 215–208 · 2026-06-03 roll call ↗The resolution directs the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran that Congress has not authorized, invoking the War Powers Resolution. It passed the House with support from Democrats and a number of Republicans.
  • YesResolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · H.J. Res. 72 · Passed 219–211 · 2026-02-11 roll call ↗The resolution terminates the national emergency the President declared in February 2025 to justify a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada, ending that tariff if it becomes law. It passed with a bipartisan majority, including several Republicans who broke with the administration on trade policy.
  • NoConsolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 — full-year government funding · H.R. 7148 · Passed 217–214 · 2026-02-03 roll call ↗The bill provides full-year discretionary appropriations for federal agencies for the remainder of fiscal year 2026, replacing the stopgap funding enacted after the fall 2025 shutdown. It sets spending levels across defense and non-defense programs through September 2026.
  • YesBreaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · H.R. 1834 · Passed 230–196 · 2026-01-08 roll call ↗The bill extends for additional years the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that were expanded in 2021 and had lapsed at the end of 2025, lowering health-insurance premiums for people who buy coverage on ACA marketplaces. It passed with support from nearly all Democrats and a small group of Republicans.
  • YesWar Powers Resolution on Venezuela · H. Con. Res. 64 · Failed 211–213 · 2025-12-17 roll call ↗The resolution would have directed the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities in or against Venezuela that Congress had not authorized. It failed after U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels off Venezuela had raised questions in Congress about the administration's legal authority for military action in the region.
  • NoNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 — final passage · S. 1071 · Passed 312–112 · 2025-12-10 roll call ↗The fiscal year 2026 NDAA authorizes roughly $900 billion in defense spending, including a pay raise for service members and funding for shipbuilding, munitions, and missile-defense programs. It also sets policy on military personnel, procurement, and other Defense Department programs for the year.
  • YesEpstein Files Transparency Act · H.R. 4405 · Passed 427–1 · 2025-11-18 roll call ↗The bill directs the Department of Justice to publicly release its investigative files related to Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days, while allowing redactions to protect victim identities, ongoing investigations, and law enforcement techniques. It passed with near-unanimous support.
  • NoContinuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 — shutdown-ending vote · H.R. 5371 · Passed 222–209 · 2025-11-12 roll call ↗The bill reopened the federal government after a 43-day shutdown by funding most agencies through January 30, 2026, and providing full-year funding for a smaller group of agencies through September 2026. It also reversed shutdown-related federal layoffs and funded SNAP benefits retroactively.
  • YesCLARITY Act — digital asset market structure · H.R. 3633 · Passed 294–134 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The CLARITY Act creates a regulatory framework dividing oversight of digital assets between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. It sets registration and disclosure requirements for cryptocurrency exchanges and other digital-asset intermediaries.
  • YesGENIUS Act — stablecoin regulation · S. 1582 · Passed 308–122 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The GENIUS Act creates a federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, requiring issuers to hold reserves backing their tokens on a one-to-one basis and to comply with new disclosure and licensing rules. It was the first major piece of cryptocurrency legislation enacted into federal law.
  • NoOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 218–214 · 2025-07-03 roll call ↗H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, extends and expands the 2017 tax cuts, adds new deductions for tips, overtime pay, and seniors, and raises the cap on state and local tax deductions. It increases border security and defense spending while cutting projected Medicaid and SNAP spending and adding new work requirements; President Trump signed it into law on July 4, 2025.
  • NoRescissions Act of 2025 · H.R. 4 · Passed 214–212 · 2025-06-12 roll call ↗The Rescissions Act canceled about $9 billion in previously approved federal spending, mostly for foreign aid programs and for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It was the first rescissions package Congress had approved in decades.
  • NoOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 215–214 · 2025-05-22 roll call ↗H.R. 1 extends and modifies the 2017 individual and business tax cuts, creates new deductions for tips and overtime pay, and increases spending on border security and defense. It also reduces projected spending on Medicaid and food-assistance programs and adds new work requirements for some recipients.
  • NoSAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · H.R. 22 · Passed 220–208 · 2025-04-10 roll call ↗The SAVE Act would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in person when registering to vote in federal elections. It also directs states to establish procedures to remove noncitizens identified on voter rolls.
  • NoFull-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 · H.R. 1968 · Passed 217–213 · 2025-03-11 roll call ↗The bill funded the federal government through the remainder of fiscal year 2025, largely at prior-year spending levels, averting a shutdown ahead of a March 14 deadline. It also extended several expiring health and other program authorizations.
  • NoLaken Riley Act — final passage · S. 5 · Passed 263–156 · 2025-01-22 roll call ↗The Laken Riley Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants who are arrested, charged, or convicted for theft, burglary, or certain violent crimes. It also allows state attorneys general to sue the federal government over certain immigration enforcement decisions.
  • NoSecure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · H.R. 2 · Passed 219–213 · 2023-05-11 roll call ↗Would have resumed border-wall construction, restricted asylum eligibility, expanded detention, and mandated E-Verify for employers.

On the record — official actions

  • actionServes on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, including its Communications and Technology, Environment, and Energy subcommittees.[3]
  • actionDuring the 118th Congress (2023-2024), served on the Committee on Homeland Security, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (Aviation; Highways and Transit subcommittees), and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, where he chaired the Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment.[3]

Positions on the issues

  • OpposesExpand immigration enforcement and deportationsFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025-01-22). Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations. Voted no on Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2, 2023-05-11).[7][8][9][10][11]

  • SupportsExpand public health coverageFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted yes on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08).[8][9][10][12]

  • SupportsFaster transition away from fossil fuelsFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits.[8][9][10]

  • SupportsRaise taxes on high earners or corporationsFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent.[8][9][10]

  • OpposesBroad tariffs on imported goodsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11).[13]

Background

  • Born in Englewood, New Jersey.[3]
  • Earned a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2008 and a J.D. from Rutgers University Law School in 2011.[3]
  • Worked as an attorney; served as a board member on the Hudson School Board of Trustees and as a commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.[3]

Campaign money

Raised $2.0M · spent $1.6M · $680K cash on hand (through 2026-06-30) FEC filing ↗

Craig Honts

Socialist Workers Party

Craig Honts is the Socialist Workers Party candidate for New Jersey's 8th Congressional District.[4]

Little public record found for this candidate.

Da'Shone Hughey

We The People Party

Da'Shone Hughey is the We The People Party candidate for New Jersey's 8th Congressional District.[5]

Little public record found for this candidate.

Aristotle Eliopoulos

IND

Aristotle "Ari" Eliopoulos is an independent candidate for New Jersey's 8th Congressional District. A teacher, union leader, and special-needs advocate, he is running on education reform, healthcare affordability, and independence from party establishments.[6]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

Positions on the issues

  • MixedExpand public health coverage

    Supports lowering prescription drug costs and expanding access to mental-health and preventive care, while also emphasizing competition among providers and insurers and reducing administrative bureaucracy.[6]

In their words — priorities

  • Education reform that "puts students first," including strengthening public schools, expanding vocational and career education, and prioritizing special-education enforcement and resources.[6]
  • Healthcare reform to lower prescription drug costs, increase price transparency, and expand mental-health services and access in underserved communities.[6]
  • Lowering the cost of housing, healthcare, energy, and everyday essentials, and reducing regulations he says drive up prices.[6]

Background

  • Works as an educator and union leader; describes himself as the son of working-class immigrants and a special-needs advocate.[6]

Research notes & limits

Federal key floor votes and FEC finance totals for Menendez are added separately by script. No Republican candidate filed for this seat. Craig Honts and Da'Shone Hughey have minimal public footprints beyond their Ballotpedia listings.

Sources · 13

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
  2. 2.United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey, 2026 (Cook PVI table) · Ballotpedia Reference
  3. 3.Rob Menendez (New Jersey) · Ballotpedia Reference
  4. 4.Craig Honts · Ballotpedia Reference
  5. 5.Da'Shone Hughey · Ballotpedia Reference
  6. 6.Aristotle Eliopoulos — Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · Ballotpedia (Candidate Connection survey) Candidate's own words
  7. 7.Roll call: Laken Riley Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-01-22 Official record
  8. 8.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-05-22 Official record
  9. 9.H.R. 1 (119th Congress) — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: text and summary · Congress.gov Official record
  10. 10.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-07-03 Official record
  11. 11.Roll call: Secure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2023-05-11 Official record
  12. 12.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
  13. 13.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record