Nothing proves progressive arguments about a rigged political game when it comes to selection of candidates than the recent proposal that Robert Menendez, Jr. should inherit his father’s former seat in the House of Representatives once Albio Sires vacates it next year.

Menendez, Jr. is a remarkably nice guy. But he has no experience on any level of government, never having been elected to public office. Suddenly, he is thrust into a seat that others before him had to earn the hard way. Indeed, his father went through the itinerary of lower public offices before finally reaching the pinnacle. of U.S. Senator, he currently holds.

Even Sires climbed the rungs of power, battling his way to unseat the seemingly intractable West New York Mayor Anthony Defino to become Mayor, assemblyman, assembly speaker then Congressman.

The fact that Menendez, Jr.’s father is so powerful a figure in Hudson County, none of the political princes that determine who gets what here will voice objection to his candidacy.

The last mayor fight over such a position came after the death of Donald Payne Sr. in the 10th district, when then Bayonne Mayor and Chair of the Hudson County Democratic Organization Mark Smith went against the grain and attempted to get the more than qualified Nia Gill named to the seat – in opposition to Menendez’s choice of Donald Payne, Jr. Many of the other political elite wisely avoided riling the sitting U.S. Senator aware that this move was among several political mistakes leading to Smith’s downfall.

Nobody – with the exception of progressives – will make the same mistake this time, especially because the heir apparent is the son of one of the most powerful politicians in New Jersey. Even Sires wisely endorsed Menendez, Jr. Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, who is perpetually looking for a higher political perch on which to land, was wise enough to support Menendez, Jr. as well. Bhalla owes much of his current political clout to State Senator and Union City Mayor Brian Stack – a strong ally of Menendez, Sr.

None of this is new. Passing the political torch from father to son is almost a tradition in New Jersey – although one might argue that it is simply the son following in his father’s footsteps. And it is not exclusive to the Democratic Party. While Ronald Rice and his son are Democrats, Tom Kean, Sr. and his son follow the same pattern.

A number of political people in Hudson County have eyed Sires’ seat for some time. This may include Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, who managed to get Sires’ endorsement for reelection as mayor this last year by swearing he (Fulop) was not seeking to take Sires’ seat. The fact that Sires endorsed Menendez, Jr. has to be a significant blow to Fulop, and perhaps a fearful sign for the future as this might be Menendez Jr.’s first steps towards eventually running for mayor in Jersey City.

Over the few years, Menendez Jr. was rumored to be a candidate to oppose Fulop in 2021, something that failed to materialize – partly because Menendez Jr. did not have the political experience to take on the powerful Fulop machine.

Fulop has unpleasant history with Menendez Sr., in that Menendez apparently believed Fulop was secretly plotting to take the U.S. Senate seat if Menendez’s corruption trial had gone badly. As it turned out, Menendez was exonerated, and in a somewhat cryptic statement from the steps of the federal court vowed vengeance upon those who plotted against him – most people taking this as a message to Fulop.

The ascension of Menendez Jr. to a seat in the House of Representatives will not happen without opposition. Progressives, who sought to unseat Sires last year, will likely make a stab at obtaining the nomination. They may even seek legal remedies the way they did when claiming the ballot name arrangement was unfair and undemocratic. But elections of this kind are all about alliances, and with so many of the 12 Hudson County mayors (the princes of this kingdom) unwilling to cross the father, they will not back anyone against the son.