Politics

Democrat Rebecca Bennett reportedly defeats Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in New Jersey

CBS News projects Democrat Rebecca Bennett won New Jersey's 7th District, after Kean's months of missed votes drew scrutiny.

Published Nov 4, 2026 · 03:48 UTC2 reports

The short version

CBS News projected that Democrat Rebecca Bennett defeated two-term Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District.[CBS News]
Kean missed months of House votes earlier this year while being treated for depression, which he did not disclose until returning in late June.[CBS News · NBC News]
The Congressional Leadership Fund, allied with House Speaker Mike Johnson, shifted resources away from Kean's race weeks before the election.[CBS News]
Bennett reported raising about $3.9 million from July through September, while Kean reported less than $1 million over the same period.[CBS News]

Democrat Rebecca Bennett ousted Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, CBS News projected.[CBS News]
Kean was absent from Capitol Hill from March 5 to June 30, missing 140 votes, and revealed a hospitalization and depression diagnosis upon returning.[NBC News]
Kean had missed months of votes earlier this year while being secretly treated for depression, according to CBS News.[CBS News]
Weeks before the election, the Congressional Leadership Fund shifted resources away from Kean's race to other critical contests.[CBS News]
Bennett reported raising about $3.9 million from July through September, while Kean reported less than $1 million over the same period.[CBS News]

The result is reported through news-organization projections rather than an official final count in the provided reporting.[CBS News · NBC News]
The reporting describes criticism of Kean's absence and the timing of his loss but does not establish that the absence caused the outcome.[CBS News · NBC News]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.