OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
10:23 AM – Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot Rebecca Bennett is New Jersey's next representative in the U.S. House after defeating Republican incumbent, Representative Thomas H. Kean Jr., in the 7th Congressional District race.
On Tuesday, Bennett won with 186,422 votes, or 57%, compared to Kean's (R-N.J.) 135,037 votes, or 41%, according to the Associated Press, with 94% of the total votes tabulated.
Bennett, a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, promised to lower the cost of living, as candidates across the board have aimed to do. She planned to cut red tape holding back housing supply and construction, and invest in clean, reliable, and domestic energy sources to lower energy costs across the Garden State.
To protect healthcare access, she planned to reverse Medicaid cuts, which she blamed Kean and the "MAGA Republicans" for. She also promised to fight for "a woman's right to choose at the federal level."
Similar to Kean, Bennett supports a strong military as a matter of national security, saying she would modernize military technology, prepare for cyber and drone threats, and improve oversight of military spending.
In 2025, President Donald Trump called Kean "a tremendous advocate for our America First agenda," handing down his "complete and total endorsement."
Serving in Congress since 2023, Kean focused his campaign and congressional service on creating jobs and economic opportunity for New Jersey's 7th District, promoting "policies that spur innovation, economic growth, create pro-small business environment, and create good-paying jobs," according to his official web page. He also promised to cut taxes, citing his work leading the caucus to pass property tax relief.
Priding his accolades as a healthcare "Champion for Children," he also plans to improve access to high-quality health care. During his first term in the House, he helped to restore substance abuse and mental health services grants. He also introduced the "Lifeline for First Responders Act" to fund mental support for first responders, the "Help Ensure Lower Patient (HELP) Copays Act" to lower prescription drug costs, and the "Medicare Premiums Reduction Act" to lower health care costs for seniors.
Kean also supported enforcing immigration laws and a strong border, asserting on his website that "border security is national security," while protecting children brought to the U.S. illegally through no fault of their own.
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