The next election in New Jersey is still several months away, but legislative races are already heating up in Hudson County's District 32.

The battle for the assembly seat just got more crowded.

Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla has officially launched a bid for the nomination, joining former Murphy administration official Katie Brennan, who's running as an independent.

And incumbent Assemblywoman Jessica Ramirez.

A senior political correspondent David Cruz reports.

All the competition means this will be a race to watch.

The 32nd Legislative District.

2020 version is the product of a political accommodation made possible by the Democratic Party machine, which swiftly filled the seats with its chosen candidates.

Come June, though, the Hudson County Democratic organization the Cdmo, could find itself on the outside looking in because in a post party line New Jersey, none of the declared candidates for the assembly here will likely have party backing.

Being on the so-called party line or with the party establishment isn't necessarily a good thing.

In an unsuccessful primary race for Congress last year, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla actually won the 32nd legislative district portion of the district over the party backed incumbent, which he believes says a lot about the upcoming June primary.

At least in Hoboken.

As mayor, I can tell you that no one really knows who the CDO is.

And in Jersey City, I think it's actually liability to run with the party and that the results of last year's election are really proof of concept of that.

BHALLA will not be alone on the ballot.

Joining him will be Katie Brennan, who you may remember most from the earliest days of the Murphy administration when her sexual assault charges against a fellow campaign staffer rocked the statehouse.

Brennan, though, has a long history of advocacy in affordable housing and affordability in general.

Still the biggest issue facing the district, she says.

I want people to be able to pay the rent or maybe even dream of being able to pay the mortgage.

I want the dang trains to run on time and the busses.

I want people to have good paying jobs and feel that they're going to be a better life for their kids and their family.

And I want the government to work for us.

I want it to be clear and transparent and held to account.

There is an incumbent in this race.

First year lawmaker Jessica Ramirez was a party back choice last year, but as a running mate of Jersey City mayor and gubernatorial hopeful Steve Fulop, she's not likely to be a party favorite this year In a district that is more than 50% Latino.

Immigration will be right up there with affordability on voters minds, she says.

Ramirez hosts a radio program targeted at immigrant audiences.

I'm doing that every Saturday morning where we're on the airways letting people know their rights because it is really scary.

And even though I'm Puerto Rican and we don't have we're citizens by birth.

I came here and with my parents and we had to learn English and I was in ESL classes.

And I remember how it was.

And I was then when I started learning English, I was the translator for everybody.

My mom would lend me out to all her friends to be the translator, and I know how scary that is, right?

She's not going to be relying on the Hudson County Democrats to carry her over.

She's going to be relying on the follow up campaign in Hudson County to carry her over.

And that's an interesting assessment on her part, that she thinks that that's the winning formula for her.

The free for all feel of this race and others around the state will probably be the first real evidence of what the impact will be of New Jersey's changed political landscape.

I'm David Cruz.

N.J.

Spotlight News.