Credit: campaign photos
Republican incumbent Rep. Tom Kean will face Democratic challenger Rebecca Bennett in the general election for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District.
Bennett, a businesswoman and former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, secured the Democratic nomination after defeating former Small Business Administration official Michael Roth and business owners Tina Shah and Brian Varela. Kean, who has represented the district since 2022, ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
The general election will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
“Together, we are going to flip this seat and we are going to take back the House and we are going to make sure we leave this country better off than we found it,” Bennett said following her victory, according to the New Jersey Monitor.
The race for the district, which includes the City of Lambertville, comes amid ongoing questions regarding Kean’s prolonged absence from the public eye.
Reports indicate that the congressman has not been seen in Washington, D.C. or within the district for months.
Kean recently acknowledged the absence to the New Jersey Globe, noting it was due to an unspecified medical issue.
Amid Kean’s absence, an aide told The New York Times, “There’s no cameras where Tom is.”
In a statement addressing his status, Kean said he expects to return to public duties soon.
“I am focused on my recovery and under the advice of healthcare professionals, I will transition from virtual work to in person work within a matter of weeks,” Kean said. “At that time, I will be completely transparent as to the nature of my medical condition.”
In his statement, Kean framed the upcoming election as a ideological fight in a social media post.
Kean said his “campaign will offer a clear choice” and that “Democrats continue pushing an agenda that is too extreme.”
Ahead of the primary, President Donald Trump endorsed Kean.
“Tom Kean has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election,” Trump wrote, adding, “HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
The battle for the 7th District follows a 2024 cycle where Kean successfully fended off a challenge from Lambertville Democrat Sue Altman. Altman has since relocated to Bridgewater to launch a campaign in New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District.
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