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2026 candidates we're tracking in NJ-8
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Rob Menendez
Democratic
Incumbent
Rob Menendez is the sitting U.S. Representative for this district, elected in 2022, and serves on Energy and Commerce after earlier service on Transportation and Infrastructure, where he advocated for the Gateway Program, per his campaign site. Before Congress he was a Port Authority of New York and New Jersey commissioner chairing its Governance and Ethics Committee. He lives in Jersey City, per the Hudson Reporter.
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Aristotle Eliopoulos
Independent
Aristotle 'Ari' Eliopoulos is a Jersey City public school teacher and union representative, born and raised in Jersey City as the son of Greek immigrant small-business owners, per his campaign site and the New Jersey Globe. A registered Republican running on an independent line, his bid is backed by the Hudson, Essex, and Union county Republican chairs, per the New Jersey Globe.
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Craig Honts
Socialist Work
Craig Honts is the Socialist Workers Party candidate for New Jersey's 8th Congressional District, covering most of Hudson County, part of Newark and Elizabeth. Honts is a factory worker and member of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers union, according to The Militant. Honts joined the Socialist Workers Party in 1971 after taking part in protests over the killing of Kent State University students who were demonstrating against the Vietnam War, per Patch. Craig Honts appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for U.S. House, NJ-8, per the county elections office's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.
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Da'Shone Hughey
Independent
Hughey is an entrepreneur, educator, author, and technology innovator focused on artificial intelligence, robotics, workforce training, and education reform, per the campaign site. Hughey is running as an independent candidate for New Jersey's 8th District to build a future ready workforce and expand economic opportunity, per the campaign site.
About this race
New Jersey's 8th Congressional District elects one member of the U.S. House of Representatives to a two-year term. Every House seat in the country is on the ballot in 2026. The New Jersey primary is Tuesday, June 2, 2026, and the general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.