TRENTON  - The Communications Workers of America, one of the largest state worker unions representing 70,000 families,  said today it will endorse the re-election of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ).

Among the reasons for CWA’s support of Menendez include the senator’s legislation to stop outsourcing of jobs and minimum wage hike.

“Bob Menendez has been an effective leader and fighter for New Jersey’s working men and women,”  CWA state Director Hetty Rosenstein said in a statement. “Sen. Menendez appreciates the sacrifices and contributions made by all of our members – from the public workers who care for New Jersey’s vulnerable residents – to our Verizon Call Center employees, on the front lines of customer service.  We know we can count on Senator Menendez to fight the good fight for us.  Both President Obama and New Jersey’s middle class need Bob Menendez in the Senate.  We are proud to be a part of Senator Menendez’s fight for working families.”

Menendez was pleased with the endorsement.

"I am honored and humbled to receive the support of more than 70,000 New Jersey families affiliated with the CWA of New Jersey,” Menendez said in a statement. "Every day in the Senate, I fight to protect the hard-working men and women of New Jersey, who strive day-in and day-out to provide for their families. Having grown up in a tenement in Union City, I understand the struggles that hard-working middle class families face. I know what it’s like to sit around a kitchen table and try to figure out a family budget, to save for your children’s college education, and meet health care and retirement costs. I come from the middle class and will continue to fight for the middle class. CWA members and all New Jerseyans can be sure that I will continue to fight for the issues of importance for New Jersey’s middle class families in the United States Senate.”