Politics
Speaker Mike Johnson stumps for Representative Tom Kean Jr. in key New Jersey district
Control of the House could hinge on New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, where Republican Tom Kean Jr. is running for a third term against Democratic challenger Rebecca Bennett.
The short version
- House Speaker Mike Johnson campaigned in Washington, New Jersey, calling the state's 7th Congressional District a "top three" battleground race.
- The competitive district, which includes Donald Trump's Bedminster golf course, was narrowly won by Trump in 2024 but voted for Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill in 2025.
- The election represents a crucial test for the Republican House majority and the future of President Trump's legislative agenda for his final two years in office.
Key facts
- House Speaker Mike Johnson traveled to Washington, New Jersey, to support Representative Tom Kean Jr.'s re-election campaign.[Fox News]
- Kean is seeking a third term in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, representing an area that includes Donald Trump's Bedminster golf club.[Fox News]
- The district's electorate is highly competitive: Donald Trump won the district by two percentage points in 2024, but Democrat Mikie Sherrill won it by the same margin during the 2025 gubernatorial election.[Fox News]
- Kean is facing a challenge from Democrat Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot.[Fox News]
- Bennett has criticized Kean for trading over $3 million in stocks while in office, pointing to activity during a period between March and June when Kean was absent from public view receiving treatment for depression.[Fox News]
- Kean has accused Bennett of being overly partisan and claims she stopped attending her local church because Republicans go there, an allegation Bennett's campaign spokesperson Carly Jones denied, stating Bennett remains an active church member.[Fox News]
What remains uncertain
- Whether the historical trend of midterm losses for the sitting president's party will negatively impact Kean's re-election bid in the competitive district remains to be seen.[Fox News]