Sen. Bob Menendez’s daughter, Alicia, and son, Rob, dish on their dad in a light-hearted web ad released today by the New Jersey Democrat’s campaign.
While I had not known of the junior senator’s history as a high school bowler and late-night Nintendo competitor, his penchant for the International House of Pancakes in Union City is well known, and like his children I’ve been present when he thought his eruption into song was not embarrassing. [During a ride to an event in 2006, he broke out into "Up With People" followed by an Irish ballad.]
The ad is appearing on the web only, and includes a link to the senator’s campaign website. Menendez’s latest campaign finance report showed he had $6.9 million on hand on Sept. 30 for next year’s re-election after raising $1.7 million during the quarter.
No Republicans have announced they are running against him yet, but state Sens. Joseph Kyrillos, R-Monmouth, and Michael Doherty, R-Warren, are expected to get into the race after the legislative races are over.
In the absence of a challenger, the National Republican Senatorial Committee has tried to keep pressure on Menendez. A news release today tried to tie him to the Democratic proposal in the deficit-reduction “super committee” that would include both tax increases and spending cuts. Notable about the release is that it no longer says he’s under investigation, as every release from the NRSC this year had. The U.S. Attorney’s Office officially closed the file this month that was opened by then-U.S. Attorney Chris Christie in 2006, when his friend, state Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr., was trying to oust Menendez..