By Sohaib Shams
Democrat Rebecca Bennett won the election for New Jersey's 7th Congressional District on Tuesday, defeating Republican incumbent Thomas H. Kean Jr. and flipping a seat that has changed party hands in each of the last two midterm cycles.
Bennett's campaign focuses on economy and foreign policy
Bennett, a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, centered her campaign on widespread voter discontent over rising prices, called for an immediate end to the Iran war, and urged Congress to rein in President Donald Trump's import tariffs. The district, which includes Trump's Bedminster golf club, was won by Trump by 1.2 percentage points in 2024.
Kean's absence and health struggle
Kean, identified as the most vulnerable Republican in New Jersey's congressional delegation, had flipped the Democratic-held seat in 2022. His defeat follows a monthslong absence from Congress during which he missed more than 100 votes before disclosing his struggle with depression this summer. The 57-year-old lawmaker later returned to the House floor, describing depression as a powerful illness that is difficult to fully understand until experienced.
As Republican losses mounted nationwide on Tuesday night, Trump posted on Truth Social claiming he would have won in a landslide if he had been on the ballot.
