Rebecca Bennett, a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot and aircraft commander, won the Democratic nomination on Tuesday in New Jersey’s Seventh Congressional District, setting up a highly competitive November race against Representative Thomas Kean Jr., a Republican who has been absent from Congress for nearly three months because of an unexplained health condition. Bennett defeated three rivals, including physician Tina Shah, and held a decisive lead when the Associated Press called the race shortly after polls closed.
Bennett, 39, framed her victory as proof that Democrats can win with a candidate who combines military service, outsider status and a focus on practical issues. Speaking to supporters in Bridgewater, she said her campaign would try to flip the seat and argued that Democrats must offer solutions to everyday problems, not just oppose President Trump. Her campaign has highlighted her Navy career, her role as a mother and her moderate political profile. Until 2016, she was registered as a Republican.
The district is expected to be one of the most closely watched House contests in November as Democrats look to regain control of the chamber. The seat has changed hands twice in the past decade. Kean won it in 2022 after defeating Democrat Tom Malinowski, who had previously taken it from Republican Leonard Lance. Although the district was redrawn after the 2020 census to favor Republicans, Kean’s long absence from public life has created uncertainty around the race.
Kean has missed more than 100 votes since disappearing from view in mid-March, drawing criticism from local observers and rival Democrats. His office said he plans to be “completely transparent” about his health condition and said he expects to move from virtual to in-person work within weeks. He cast his ballot by mail and did not appear on Primary Day. Despite his absence, Kean still enters the general election with a financial edge, reporting about $3.4 million on hand compared with Bennett’s roughly $760,000.
Bennett’s primary win came despite outside spending aimed at weakening her candidacy. A Republican-linked political action committee spent about $650,000 on negative ads that tried to lift her opponents instead. Bennett responded by criticizing the effort and suggesting it showed Republicans viewed her as the strongest Democratic threat in the general election.
Voters in the district, which has a large bloc of unaffiliated voters, appeared focused on choosing the Democrat most likely to defeat Kean in November. Supporters said Bennett’s military background made her appealing, and party strategists see her as a candidate with crossover potential. Her victory now sets up a battle that could prove pivotal in determining control of the U.S. House.
