Tom Kean Jr., who missed more than 100 roll-call votes during an unexplained four-month absence before disclosing he was treated for depression, and Democrat Rebecca Bennett will face off in their only debate on Sunday in New Jersey’s competitive 7th Congressional District. The district has flipped in recent midterms and is drawing heavy outside spending: a pro-Trump super PAC pledged over $3 million for Kean, while a Democratic-aligned PAC reserved about $2.5 million in TV ads. Kean, a third-term candidate from a prominent political family, returned to Congress in June and is defending a narrow GOP majority amid low presidential approval and rising gas prices.
Kean Returns to Congress After Treatment for Depression — Faces One Debate With Rebecca Bennett in Tight NJ Race
This combination photo shows Rebecca Bennett, a Democrat candidate for New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, May 30, 2026, in Flemington, N.J., left, and Rep. Tom Kean Jr, R-N.J., April 22, 2024, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (AP Photo)(AP Photo/)
Tom Kean Jr., the Republican congressman from New Jersey who was absent from the U.S. House for four months before disclosing he had been hospitalized and treated for depression, and Democrat Rebecca Bennett will meet in their only campaign debate on Sunday night in a closely contested contest for the state's 7th Congressional District.
Campaign Context
The 7th District, which includes President Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf club, has flipped parties in each of the last two midterm elections and attracts heavy outside spending as a political bellwether. Republicans are defending a narrow House majority at a moment when the president’s approval ratings are low and gasoline prices have risen amid heightened tensions with Iran.
Candidates
Tom Kean Jr. is a former state lawmaker from a prominent political family running for a third term. He missed more than 100 roll-call votes during his absence and returned to Congress in June, saying he had been hospitalized for depression and noting he is private by nature.
FILE - Rep. Tom Kean, R-N.J., listens during a Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs on Capitol Hill, Dec. 5, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, file)(AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
Rebecca Bennett is a political newcomer, a former Navy pilot who later worked as a healthcare executive. She won a competitive Democratic primary in June and was widely seen as a more moderate, electable choice by many observers.
Outside Spending and Stakes
Millions of dollars have poured into the district. A pro-Trump super PAC recently pledged more than $3 million to support Kean, while a Democratic-aligned political action committee has reserved roughly $2.5 million for television ads in the New York market to help Bennett and another Democratic candidate in a nearby district.
District History and Outlook
Redistricting after the 2020 census made the 7th slightly more Republican, but Democrats still regard it as a top pickup opportunity. Kean won the seat in 2022 by defeating Democrat Tom Malinowski, who had unseated Republican Leonard Lance in 2018.
Kean Family Background
Kean comes from a long line of public servants that stretches roughly 250 years to the early years of the nation. Members of his family have served as a U.S. senator, a congressman and a two-term governor of New Jersey.
Why the debate matters: With just one scheduled debate and large outside spending on both sides, the contest will be a useful indicator of how national politics and local dynamics intersect in competitive suburban districts this fall.
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