Bennett wins primary to challenge Kean in New Jersey

Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot and health care executive, won the Democratic primary in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District on Tuesday, setting up a closely watched general election against Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr., who has been absent from public view and Capitol votes for nearly three months while citing a personal medical issue.

Bennett defeated physician Tina Shah, former Small Business Administration official Michael Roth and business owner Brian Varela for the Democratic nomination. Kean, first elected in 2022, was unopposed in the Republican primary and is seeking a third term.

The race is expected to be one of the most competitive House contests in the 2026 midterms. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the district a toss-up, and NBC News reported that President Donald Trump carried the district by just 1 percentage point in 2024. Kean won re-election that year by more than 5 points, running ahead of Trump.

Kean has not cast a vote in the Capitol or been seen publicly since March 5. His office said in late April that he was dealing with a “personal medical issue,” but few details have been released. In a statement issued Tuesday through his campaign, Kean said he was focused on recovery and planned to return to Washington soon.

“I will transition from virtual work to in person work within a matter of weeks. At that time I will be completely transparent as to the nature of my medical condition,” Kean said.

His absence has drawn attention from voters, Democrats and some Republicans as the party works to defend a vulnerable seat. CBS News reported that Kean’s whereabouts since his last vote are unknown. His chief of staff told The New York Times, “There’s no cameras where Tom is.”

Kean’s father, former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean Sr., told CNN that his son’s doctors “all agree he’s going to be fine.” He added, “It took a real illness to knock him out. This won’t linger. It’s not some kind of disease that’s going to incapacitate him in the future. The consensus is that he will be 100% OK.”

Kean told the New Jersey Globe in a phone interview on May 21 that he was still running for re-election, while offering few details about his health. Despite his absence, his campaign and official social media accounts have continued posting, and The Guardian reported that staff members have attended ribbon-cuttings and graduation ceremonies on his behalf.

Trump endorsed Kean on Monday, writing on Truth Social that the congressman is “working tirelessly” on priorities including border security, the economy, taxes, energy, the military and the Second Amendment.

The Guardian, citing CNN, reported that House Speaker Mike Johnson has spoken privately with Kean but has not been given a return date, according to three Republican leadership sources. CNN also reported that some Republican colleagues have raised questions about what New Jersey law would require if Kean were unable to continue after winning the uncontested primary.

Bennett has sought to cast herself as the Democrat best positioned to win the district, saying at a primary debate that her military service and health care background “uniquely positioned me to flip this seat.” In an interview last month, she wished Kean a “speedy recovery” but said he had been “nowhere to be found” on issues affecting the district before his medical leave.

“I do think, looking at his record, he has absolutely failed this district,” Bennett said. “I mean, he was the deciding vote on the ‘one big, beautiful bill,’ which is the reason why tens of thousands of people in our district are losing access to their health insurance.”

During the primary, Bennett faced criticism from Shah over her previous Republican registration. Bennett’s campaign said she grew up in a Republican family but registered as a Democrat after Trump became the GOP presidential nominee in 2016. She also faced attacks from Real Change PAC, a super PAC that spent more than $600,000 in the race, according to campaign finance disclosures cited by NBC News.

Voters have expressed differing views about Kean’s absence. Somerville resident Bobby Anderson told NBC News it was “pretty shocking and fairly alarming to me as a voter.” Another constituent, Cindy Capodice, said Kean was entitled to privacy: “I think there’s a good amount of privacy that people are allowed to have, whether they’re in office or not.”