New Jersey election 2026: What to know about the 7th Congressional District race between Tom Kean Jr. and Rebecca Bennett

There are about 17,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats in the 7th District, but according to a recent poll, Democratic challenger Rebecca Bennett is leading Republican incumbent Tom Kean Jr., and 39% of likely voters see Kean as “very unfavorable.”

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Kean is a member of the Energy and Commerce, and the Foreign Affairs, committees. He has sponsored several bills, including the No Taxpayer Funds for Congressional First-Class Flights Act, which would prohibit members of Congress from using taxpayer funds for first-class airfare. He also sponsored the Medicare Premiums Reduction Act of 2026, which would eliminate certain Medicare income-related surcharges for seniors in specified income ranges, and the Local Taxpayer Protection Act of 2026, which would establish federal grants to municipalities hosting certain federal law-enforcement processing or detention facilities to offset specified local costs. All three measures are still pending in the House.

In 2025, he co-sponsored the Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act, which would establish criminal and civil penalties for creating and distributing non-consensual artificially created intimate images of others. He sponsored the Stop Stealing Our Chips Act, which would create incentives and protections for whistleblowers reporting violations involving U.S. export controls on advanced technologies. These bills are also awaiting votes.

One of Kean’s priorities is to improve the economy. He said on his website, “I am focused on creating more jobs and promoting economic opportunities for everyone across the 7th Congressional District. This includes promoting pro-growth policies to support small businesses, removing regulatory barriers to job creation, and returning our critical supply chain to full, functional operations.

Kean said he is working to improve education. “Our education systems serve our children best when the federal footprint is reduced, local control is restored, and parents and local education leaders are empowered,” he said. “As a parent, I understand how important it is for New Jerseyans to know that local teachers have the tools they need to help our children reach their full potential. I was proud to support the Parents Bill of Rights Act, which passed the House in March 2023.”

Another front-burner issue for Kean is increasing domestic energy production. “I am committed to supporting energy policies that increase American-made energy, reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil, reduce costs for New Jersey residents, and conserve our natural resources,” he said. “The Seventh District is home to a vast supply of energy ranging from wind, solar, hydro, and conventional sources, giving New Jersey a competitive advantage and making it a leader in new energy technologies.”

Kean has co-sponsored bills designed to bolster the economy, including a measure to provide financial relief to renters, and legislation that creates a new tax credit for Americans purchasing their primary home. He said “it is imperative that we get our nation’s fiscal house in order and work to address our debt and deficit – or else we will continue to push the problems of today onto our children. We can start by eliminating duplicative programs, living within our nation’s means, and cutting wasteful spending.”

Kean strongly favors U.S. support for Israel, and that nation’s right to defend itself. He called for all hostages taken by Hamas in October of 2023 to be released, and he sponsored legislation to mark Oct. 7 as a day to honor the hostages and the victims of the Hamas attack.

Kean has voiced support for the war in Iran, backing efforts to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. On Sept. 15, the House voted to approve a war powers resolution that directed Trump to remove U.S. armed forces from Iran. Kean was among those who voted against it.

Kean did not respond to a request for a WHYY News interview.

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In the phone interview, Bennett said working to lower the cost of living for Garden State residents is a top priority. She said as a member of Congress she will work to cut red tape, increase New Jersey affordable housing construction for buyers and renters and work to restore the SALT deduction for Garden State taxpayers. She said elected officials must put “country over party” to get the U.S. back on track.

Bennett said another front-burner issue is taking on the corruption in Washington, D.C. “I believe strongly that members of Congress should not be able to trade stocks,” she said. “There should be a full ban. I personally have divested all of my personal stocks earlier, because I want people to know that I mean what I say.”

Kean, Bennett’s Republican opponent, was criticized by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for allegedly trading stocks after he disappeared from work for four months while he was hospitalized for depression. Kean said he has no personal involvement in any of his stock transactions.

Noting that New Jersey has one of the most educated workforces in the nation, Bennett said the state must exploit that advantage. “We have an incredible opportunity here to make sure that we are the hub for clean energy manufacturing, for biotech, for other health care types of jobs,” she said. “This is about how do we partner with state and local governments to make sure that we are getting the resources we need to build that environment.”

Bennett said that while she was deployed to the Middle East during the war in Afghanistan, she saw how important Israel is as an ally to the U.S. “I believe we need a two-state solution and long-term stability in the region,” she said in reference to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “I think what the Benjamin Netanyahu administration is doing [in Gaza] is not in the best long-term interest of Israel.”

Bennett, who led military missions through the Strait of Hormuz, said she is opposed to the war in Iran. “Any time that we are going to put American service members in harm’s way, there needs to be a clear motivation, a clear objective, a clear exit strategy,” she said. “We have not seen any of that with this administration, we need to bring an end to this war.”

» READ MORE: New Jersey Republican Tom Kean Jr. and Democrat Rebecca Bennett clash over war in Iran, tariffs

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