The 2024 New Jersey Primary Election was today, June 4th. While voters around the country voted for the nominees for the upcoming fall election, one of Hoboken’s own is running for a seat in Congress. Yesterday, Hudson County locals voted for the House of Representatives 8th Congressional District Democratic Primary, in which Hoboken Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla is running against Rob Menendez and Kyle Fort Jasey. Read on to see the 2024 results for the Congress seat as they come in.
Please note: We are updating this article as results come in. You can see the latest election results here.
About the Election
In December 2023, Hoboken Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla announced he would run for Congress in New Jersey’s 8th Congressional District in the Democratic Primary. Mayor Bhalla was first elected as the mayor of Hoboken in 2017, and then was reelected in 2021, unopposed. He also served on the Hoboken City Council from 2010 to 2017.
This race will determine which Democratic candidate from the 8th Congressional District will get the party’s nomination. The other candidates are incumbent Rob Menendez (son of Senator Bob Menendez), and Kyle Fort Jasey.
This race, in particular, has garnered attention in Hudson County and beyond, with NBC New York calling it one of the “tightest contested races to watch in New Jersey’s primary elections”. The 8th Congressional District consists of Bayonne, East Newark, Guttenberg, Harrison, Hoboken, North Bergen, Union City, Weehawken, and West New York, as well as parts of Jersey City, Kearny, Elizabeth, and Newark.
Candidate Anthony Valdes is running unopposed in the Republican primary.
The general election will be held on November 5th, 2024.
House of Representatives 8th Congressional District Results
Districts Reporting 87.42%
- Rob Menendez – 17,068 votes
- Ravinder S. Bhalla – 12,341 votes
- Kyle Fort Jasey – 3,049 votes
For up-to-the-minute results from Hudson County’s website, click here.
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2 Hoboken Firefighters + Friends Step in to Reopen Green Pear Cafe
Two Hoboken firefighters have come together to re-open an Italian-style cafe in Hoboken. The New Jersey natives have taken over the Italian eatery and coffee shop — Green Pear Cafe — in Hoboken and reopened it as The Pear Hoboken. The space at 93 Grand Street had been closed for a short time, but is now back open in 2025 with an updated vibe, thanks to two first responders with a passion for good food. Here’s the scoop on how this transfer in ownership came to be, and what to expect at The Pear Hoboken — which is now in its soft opening stages.
The Background
Green Pear Cafe started as a family-run restaurant back in 2015. Isabella and Alfredo ran the kitchen while their children helped by waiting tables. The BYOB spot was a Hoboken favorite with its tasty lunch menu and adorable outdoor seating.
Mike Forcum, a Hoboken native, and Dominick Casolaro, a Jersey native, both served as firefighters in Hoboken for over a decade. Throughout their time as firemen, they would grab their coffees at Green Pear on the same day. That’s where they became friendly with owners Isabella and Alfredo, and also realized they both were drinking Green Pear coffee.
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While their careers as firefighters were a priority, Mike and Dominick knew their way around a kitchen. Mike went to culinary school and spent a lot of his time working in delis, including Andrea Salumeria at 247 Central Avenue in Jersey City. Dominick owns several restaurants around New Jersey, including Primavera in West Orange.
They kept in touch with Alfredo over the years. So when Alfredo said he was looking to sell his place, Dominick jumped at the opportunity to take over.
“We didn’t particularly choose the Green Pear — we had a relationship with the previous owners, got to talking with him, and he mentioned that he might be looking to move on from this,” Dominick previously shared with The Hoboken Girl. “Mike and I used to come in here, and we just thought it was a great opportunity for us, one that doesn’t always come around in Hoboken.”
As it turns out, this is a full-circle moment for the pair of friends. “It’s somewhat fitting because we came in when Alfredo and Isabella opened up, and we loved the place from the beginning and it turns out 10 years later, we’re actually taking it over.”
The Next Step
While the Green Pear Cafe now has new owners, much of the space is the same. For the menu, Dominick previously told HG the coffee options would stay the same but they might sell special lattes and other seasonal drinks throughout the year. When it comes to food, he says the breakfast menu would largely remain the same. He plans on adding more breakfast sandwiches — good news for BEC fans — and kept most of the omelets on the menu.
When it comes to lunchtime, the owners say they want to elevate the menu while focusing on local ingredients. Diners can order the typical Italian deli fare, from chicken cutlet sandwiches, and meatball subs, to soups of the day and pastas to go. Because every meal should include a sweet treat, the duo also sells fresh tiramisu and cheesecake on the dessert menu.
Though some upgrades are imminent, Green Pear’s identity largely remains the same. “We like the name, and we talked about that [with Alfredo] even before we owned it… I thought it was kinda a good omen to keep it,” Dominick shared. “And it’s nice and cute!” Mike chimed in.
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The goal was to open the Green Pear Cafe in January — and now, The Pear Hoboken is officially in its soft opening stages on Grand Street. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 7AM-3PM, and Saturday + Sunday from 8AM-3PM.
See More: Carrello Di Cannoli Soft Opens ‘The Cannoli Shop’ in Fairfield
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