Kean and Bennett meet in high-stakes debate in New Jersey's only true swing district
Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. and Democrat Rebecca Bennett were set for their first and probably only debate on Sunday night. The race for New Jersey's 7th District could help decide control of the House.
Gothamist published a preview on Sunday, September 27, of that night's debate between two-term Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. and first-time Democratic candidate Rebecca Bennett. It was expected to be their first and most likely only debate. The race is in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, the state's one real swing district, and could help decide which party controls the House for the rest of President Donald Trump's second term. Republicans expected the redrawn district to be safe, since they have about 20,000 more registered voters there. But a Stimsight Research poll the week before gave Bennett a 5-point lead, which is within the margin of error. Rutgers' Eagleton poll director Ashley Koning described the race as neck and neck. Affordability was expected to be the main topic: gas near $5 a gallon, grocery bills, housing and electricity costs. Kean was expected to point to his work restoring the SALT deduction and his MAHA and MOVE housing bills. Bennett was expected to link him to Trump, whose approval in New Jersey was 38% in a July Morning Consult poll, and to attack his vote for the One Big Beautiful Bill. Other likely flashpoints were Kean's 116-day absence from Congress after he was hospitalized for depression, his stock trades in AI and data-center companies, and attack ads about Bennett's work as a healthcare executive. Bennett is a former Navy helicopter pilot. MAGA Inc. has pledged more than $3 million to support Kean.
