Who's In the Race

Former Rep. Gabby Giffords joined Democratic nominee Rebecca Bennett at a gun-safety roundtable on Oct. 7, where Bennett said gun safety would be a priority if elected, the New Jersey Monitor reported. Democrat Rebecca Bennett will face Republican Rep. Tom Kean (R-NJ) in the general election for New Jersey's 7th U.S. House District on Nov. 3, and an independent candidate is also on the ballot. ​

Kean has served in the U.S. House since 2023, was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 2001 and the state Senate in 2003, and sits on the House Energy and Commerce and Foreign Affairs committees. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Bennett is a former military helicopter pilot and experimental test pilot with 15 years of service, an MBA from the Wharton School, and a background in digital health and healthcare technology. She won the Democratic primary with about 45 percent of the vote over runner-up Tina Shah, who received about 20 percent.

What They Stand For

Bennett has proposed cutting red tape and increasing housing supply to make homes more affordable for buyers and renters, according to her campaign website; she supports fully restoring the state and local tax (SALT) deduction, saying New Jersey taxpayers should not be "double taxed."

She has proposed lowering energy costs through investment in "clean, reliable, and domestic energy sources"; she supports paid family leave and full funding for elder care; and she has called for a full ban on congressional stock trading.

Kean has backed pro-growth policies and removing regulatory barriers to job creation, according to his House office website. He's supported reducing the federal role in education and restoring local control to parents and local leaders, backed an "all-the-above" energy policy to expand domestic production and lower costs, said Congress should address the debt and deficit by eliminating duplicative programs and cutting wasteful spending, and supported patient-centered healthcare with transparency and providers in control of decisions, according to his House office website.

The Money Behind the Race

Federal Election Commission filings show Kean raised about $4.9 million through June 30 and had about $3.6 million in the bank. Bennett raised about $4.3 million through June 30 and had about $1.4 million cash on hand.

Outside groups had spent about $2.4 million in the race as of Oct. 8, the bulk of it backing Bennett. VoteVets reported about $1 million in support spending, the largest total among the top outside spenders listed for New Jersey's 7th District.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets

The Cook Political Report rated the race "Lean Democratic" as of Sept. 25, and Sabato's Crystal Ball carried the same rating as of Sept. 29. On Kalshi, traders gave Democrats, whose nominee is Bennett, an 89.11 percent chance of winning as of Oct. 8.

Kean won the district in both 2022 and 2024, each time with about 51 percent of the vote. Democrats held nine of New Jersey's 12 U.S. House seats after both the 2022 and 2024 elections. Democrat Kamala Harris carried New Jersey in the 2024 presidential election with about 52 percent of the vote.

The voter-registration deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 13, according to the New Jersey Division of Elections. Mail-ballot applications must be submitted by mail by Tuesday, Oct. 27, or in person by Monday, Nov. 2, by 3 p.m. In-person early voting runs Saturday, Oct. 24, through Sunday, Nov. 1, with hours of 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Polls on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

---

AllCiv makes it easy to stay politically informed and involved.

---

Spot something wrong? Report an issue with this article