Bennett ousts Kean Jr. in battleground New Jersey House race

Former healthcare executive Rebecca Bennett will defeat Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R) in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, capitalizing on what many Democrats viewed as a key flip opportunity, Decision Desk HQ projects .

Bennett led Kean 60.3 percent to 38.3 percent with 76 percent of the vote reported, according to DDHQ as of 9:46 p.m. EST Tuesday.

The race was already seen as a strong pickup opportunity for Democrats, as President Trump carried the district by only 2 percentage points in 2024. But the race received much more attention and the incumbent garnered significant scrutiny over his months-long absence from the Capitol without explanation.

Kean's absence began in March, and he didn't return to Washington until the end of June. His office for months didn't provide details of his situation and only indicated he was dealing with a health issue and would return soon. Kean's GOP colleagues said they weren't sure where he was or what he was dealing with.

The congressman eventually returned after an absence of four months, revealing he was being treated for depression. He said his doctors recommended he stay in the hospital, and what he believed would not be a long-term stay grew longer.

Kean's explanation cleared up the confusion but not the scrutiny, as critics took issue with the significant amount of time that he spent away without any explanation given to his constituents.

Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, didn't focus much on Kean's absence during the campaign, instead focusing on affordability concerns and tying the incumbent to the unpopular president.

Kean is the scion of a longtime New Jersey political family and the son of former Gov. Thomas Kean (R), who led the state in the 1980s. He flipped the seat in 2022 and narrowly won reelection in 2024 but fell short in his bid for a third term.