New Jersey Rep. Albio Sires will not seek reelection next year, and Robert J. Menendez, the son of the Garden State’s senior senator, has emerged as the front-runner to succeed him.

The New Jersey Globe reported Sires would announce his retirement before the end of the year.

Most of the Hudson County Democratic establishment appeared prepared to nominate Menendez, a 36-year-old attorney and commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, to replace Sires. New Jersey’s 8th District is heavily Democratic, so securing the party’s nomination would likely result in election to the House.

His father, Bob Menendez, previously held the congressional seat for 13 years before getting appointed to the Senate in January 2006 and subsequently winning several reelection bids.

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Sires, 70, has represented the district since 2006. He emigrated from Cuba at 11 years old and was mayor of West New York, New Jersey, and served in the state Legislature.

According to his congressional biography, his stepdaughter, Tara Kole, once clerked for the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

Sires was previously a Republican before becoming a Democrat. He overcame a progressive primary challenge last year.

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Sires will join the ranks of retiring House Democrats in a cycle that has Republicans currently projected to win a majority.