Contact: Chris Meagher
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Former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, health care leader, and mom of two, Rebecca Bennett, wins Democratic nomination in top-targeted swing district
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 2, 2026) — New Politics endorsed candidate Rebecca Bennett has won the Democratic primary in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District. A former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot and experimental test pilot, Bennett heads into the general election well-positioned to defeat absentee Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in one of the most competitive House races in the country.
New Politics was among the first national organizations to endorse Bennett when she launched her campaign last year, recognizing early that her record of service and unique profile made her Democrats’ strongest candidate to flip this perennial swing district. Bennett overcame a contested primary field and dishonest attacks from a MAGA-linked dark money group to win decisively.
Her record of service stands in stark contrast to vulnerable GOP incumbent Rep. Tom Kean Jr., who has drawn national criticism for having disappeared from Congress for several weeks with no public explanation, nevertheless finding time to trade stocks while missing over 100 votes.
Emily Cherniack, Founder and Executive Director of New Politics, released the following statement:
“Rebecca Bennett has spent her entire life leading in high-stakes environments — flying helicopters in the Navy, serving as an experimental test pilot, and building healthcare solutions that expand access to care. While Tom Kean Jr. has shown that he will put his own personal interests and allegiance to Donald Trump over the needs of New Jersey residents, Rebecca has proven time and again that she will always put service over self. NJ-07 is one of the most consequential races on the map this cycle, and Rebecca is exactly who Democrats need on the ballot in November to flip this seat. New Politics is proud to stand with her in this fight.”
New Politics is an organization that revitalizes American democracy by recruiting, developing, and electing leaders across the ideological and political spectrum who have committed their lives to serving their communities and our country, either through military service, national service organizations like AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps, or by demonstrating strong service-based leadership in their community. New Politics’ support includes strategic advising and training in all aspects of a candidate’s campaign, such as fundraising, communications, organizing, hiring, and team building. New Politics has raised over $40 million to support over 475 candidates, successfully electing more than 200 of them to office, from Congress to School Board. Learn more at newpolitics.org.
