Rebecca Bennett wins Dem primary, will challenge Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in November.

Bennett advances after running a moderate campaign and now faces a Republican incumbent whose extended absence from Congress has become a focal point of the race.

Rebecca Bennett, a Democrat running for their party’s nomination in the 7th District House race, appears for a debate at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway on May 12, 2026. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor)

Democrat Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, has won the Democratic primary and will take on Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. this November in what is expected to be New Jersey’s most competitive congressional contest.

The 39-year-old Bennett emerged victorious from a four-candidate Democratic primary in the 7th Congressional District. Throughout the race, she positioned herself as a more moderate alternative to fellow contenders Brian Varela, an entrepreneur; Tina Shah, a physician; and Michael Roth, a former official in the Biden administration.

Her victory now sets the stage for a matchup against Kean, a two-term Republican congressman whose nearly three-month absence from Capitol Hill due to an undisclosed medical condition has attracted national attention and intensified scrutiny of an already closely watched district. Kean, who faced no opposition in the Republican primary, said Tuesday that he remains “more energized than ever to keep fighting for the people of New Jersey’s 7th District,” though he did not provide additional information about his condition and appeared to delay the expected timeline for his return to Congress.

Before the primary election, Kean received the backing of President Donald Trump. In a Truth Social post Monday evening, Trump praised the congressman, writing that “Tom is working tirelessly” to advance the president’s agenda.

Rep. Tom Kean, R-N.J., has faced scrutiny for his prolonged absence from the U.S. Capitol.Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images file

The Associated Press projected Bennett as the winner less than an hour after polls closed at 8 p.m.

“Career politician Tom Kean Jr. is a coward, and he has repeatedly failed the communities in our district,” Bennett said following her victory. Drawing contrasts between their backgrounds, she emphasized her 15 years of military service as a Navy helicopter pilot. “I spent 15 years serving our country in uniform as a Navy helicopter pilot where I swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution,” Bennett said. “Tom Kean Jr., meanwhile, has sworn allegiance to Donald Trump and Washington party bosses who are driving up costs and taking away access to health care.”

Kean campaign spokesperson Harrison Neely rejected Bennett’s criticism, defending the congressman’s record and dismissing the attacks as political rhetoric.

“The truth is simple: Rebecca Bennett supports higher taxes, fewer jobs, and an agenda far outside the mainstream,” Neely said. “While she focuses on political theater and misleading attacks, we’re focused on ensuring voters understand the facts.”

Rebecca Bennett won the Democratic primary in New Jersey's battleground 7th District.Adam Gray / Bloomberg via Getty Images

New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District spans affluent Democratic-leaning commuter communities in the east and strongly Republican rural areas in the west. Kean won reelection in 2024 by five percentage points over progressive Democrat Sue Altman, while Trump narrowly carried the district by a single point. However, Democratic Gov. Mike Sherrill — who, like Bennett, served as a Navy helicopter pilot and ran a somewhat more moderate campaign than many of her rivals in 2025 — won the district by one point.

Kean’s surname carries significant weight in New Jersey politics. At 57, he is part of a prominent political family with generations of influence in the state and shares his name with his father, widely regarded as one of New Jersey’s most popular governors.

Still, Democrats believe they have a strong opportunity to flip the seat this year, citing both Trump’s political liabilities and lingering questions surrounding Kean’s absence. The congressman has not voted or appeared publicly since March 5, leaving many voters and political observers searching for answers.

Trump’s endorsement may have further underscored those concerns. In his social media post Monday, the president highlighted Kean’s support for his agenda, a connection Democrats are eager to spotlight in a district that remains highly competitive.

Kean is also dealing with controversy tied to the Department of Homeland Security’s acquisition of a large warehouse in Roxbury, a Republican-leaning municipality within the district. Federal officials intend to use the site as an immigration detention center, a plan that has generated widespread opposition among local residents and elected officials, including Republicans. Municipal leaders joined the state in legal action aimed at halting the project over environmental concerns. However, the dispute cooled somewhat after Homeland Security temporarily suspended major construction activities pending the completion of an environmental review.

For Republicans, Bennett appears to be one of the more formidable Democratic candidates they could have faced. During the closing weeks of the primary campaign, a little-known organization called Real Change PAC spent hundreds of thousands of dollars attacking Bennett. The group criticized her as being insufficiently supportive of Immigration and Customs Enforcement reform, highlighting that she had not called for abolishing the agency, unlike Shah and Varela.

Questions also arose regarding the PAC itself. Real Change PAC has not publicly disclosed its donors but has been linked to Republican political operatives. It also shares a mailing vendor with another Republican-connected PAC that unsuccessfully attempted to boost a Democratic candidate in a Texas runoff election who had faced criticism for antisemitic remarks.

Shah also targeted Bennett during the primary, criticizing her past affiliation with the Republican Party and drawing attention to $3,000 in campaign contributions she received from two employees of Palantir.

One Shah campaign advertisement stated, “Bennett was a Republican most of her life, supporting Texas conservatives,” referencing Bennett’s upbringing in Texas.

Bennett responded by saying she switched parties in 2016 after Republicans rallied behind Trump. The criticism appeared to have little impact on her standing among Democratic leaders and organizations throughout New Jersey.

Despite continuing questions about his health, Kean resumed political outreach on May 21, contacting Republican officials across the district to reassure them that his recovery was progressing and that he expected to return to work soon. Those conversations helped quiet speculation among some Republicans that he might withdraw from the race.

Earlier Tuesday, Kean reiterated that he was eager to return to Washington.

“This campaign will offer a clear choice,” Kean said. “While Washington Democrats continue pushing an agenda that is too extreme, too expensive, and out of step with New Jersey, I will continue putting our constituents first and working with anyone to get things done. I am optimistic about the road ahead and ready to earn the support of voters in every corner of this district.”