Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot and healthcare executive, has won the Democratic primary in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, NBC News projects, setting up a general election campaign against Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr.
Bennett defeated physician Tina Shah, former Small Business Administration official Michael Roth and business owner Brian Varela for the Democratic nomination. She will now face Kean in a district that President Donald Trump carried by just 1 percentage point in 2024, making it one of the most tightly divided districts in the country.
Kean was first elected in 2022 and ran unopposed in the Republican primary. He won re-election by more than 5 points in 2024, running ahead of Trump's performance in the district.
What the Left Is Saying
In an interview last month, Bennett said she wished Kean a 'speedy recovery,' but she accused him of being 'nowhere to be found' on key issues affecting the district even before his medical problem. 'I do think, looking at his record, he has absolutely failed this district,' Bennett said. 'I mean, he was the deciding vote on the "one big, beautiful bill," which is the reason why tens of thousands of people in our district are losing access to their health insurance.'
Asked at a primary debate last month why she was best positioned to defeat Kean, Bennett said her military experience and healthcare background 'uniquely positioned me to flip this seat.'
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee congratulated Bennett in a statement posted on X and criticized Kean for 'years of broken promises.'
Bennett has said she would not only work to get the Democratic base motivated but also appeal to independent voters and center-right Republicans.
What the Right Is Saying
In a statement, National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Maureen O'Toole said, 'Tom Kean Jr.'s record speaks for itself: He's lowered taxes, cut costs, and made New Jersey's communities safer,' and she called Bennett 'a tax-and-spend liberal.'
Kean has not voted in the Capitol or been seen in public since March 5 because of what his office describes as a 'personal medical issue.' On Tuesday, he said in a statement that he will return to the Capitol 'within a matter of weeks,' when, he said, he will be 'completely transparent as to the nature of my medical condition.'
Despite his absence, Kean's campaign and official social media accounts have continued posting as usual. At the end of May, in his first interview in months, Kean told the New Jersey Globe that he was still running for re-election.
What the Numbers Show
Trump carried NJ-7 by 1 percentage point in 2024, one of the narrowest margins in any congressional district nationwide.
Kean won re-election by more than 5 points in November, outperforming Trump's margin in the district.
Bennett faced more than $600,000 in advertising from super PAC Real Change PAC during the primary, according to campaign finance disclosures. The group has not disclosed its donors.
Real Change PAC ads attacked Bennett as soft on Immigration and Customs Enforcement compared with her primary opponents.
The Bottom Line
Kean's extended absence from Congress creates an unusual dynamic in a competitive district where representation could become a central issue. He has said he will return 'within weeks' but has not specified his medical condition or provided a concrete date for resuming votes.
The race will test whether Bennett's background as a military veteran and healthcare executive resonates with voters in a district that narrowly backed Trump while also re-electing Kean by a comfortable margin. Both parties are likely to invest significantly in this contest, which could determine control of a closely divided House.