Jun 3, 2026 3:00 AM CUTThomas Kean Jr., a member of the Republican Party, during the press conference on April 22, 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine.Thomas Kean Jr., a member of the Republican Party, during the press conference on April 22, 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine.Vitalii Nosach—Global Images UkraineDemocratic voters in a New Jersey congressional district where the sitting Congressman hasn't been seen in months settled on former Navy pilot Rebecca Bennett to take on Republican Rep. Tom Kean, in what is shaping up to be a top-tier race in the fight for House control.Kean, who is seeking a third term, has missed 99 House votes since March 5, and hasn’t been seen in public view for nearly three months. Kean and his office have blamed an unspecified medical illness but the lack of further details has spurred frustration and conspiracy theories in Washington and within New Jersey’s 7th District, which Democrats had long planned to aggressively target after President Donald Trump won it by just one point in 2024.“You are failing us,” Bennett said of Kean to her supporters in Somerville, “and you do not deserve to represent us in Washington.”Bennett defeated three opponents: former Small Business Administration official Michael Roth, physician Tina Shah, and businessman Brian Varela. Kean is one of dozens of House Republicans Democrats are targeting in hopes of flipping control of the chamber. Bennett is a veteran of 15 years, having worked as a U.S. Navy helicopter pilot and an officer in the Air National Guard. After her service, she transitioned to healthcare as an executive at several different businesses. Ahead of Tuesday’s primary, Bennett was the fundraising leader in the four-way primary, with more than $2.6 million raised from over 13,000 donors and no self-funding. She also has a strong base of grassroots organizers. Bennett has said in debates leading up to the primary that she hopes to appeal to independent voters and center-right Republicans, who have voted Republican in the past but might be uncomfortable with the Trump Administration. She has also listed affordability as her top policy priority if she is to enter office. The new nominee has already taken advantage of Kean’s absence in the primary race, recently painting him to the Washington Post as unreliable and not grounded: “He is never around, he’s not on the ground, he doesn’t meet with voters, and he doesn’t meet with constituents,” Bennett said. “And so, to me, this is just an extension of how he’s been in office from the beginning.”Kean’s absence takes center stage in competitive districtKean, 57, has missed 99 House votes since his last recorded vote on March 5. In a social media post in late April, Kean pointed to a “personal medical issue,” and said he would be back to a full schedule soon. Over a month later, however, he has yet to return to Congress, and the lack of information over his condition has fueled speculation over whether Republicans will be able to hold onto the critical swing seat.In a statement on social media Tuesday, Kean vowed to forge ahead with his campaign and offer a “clear contrast” to Bennett. As for his absence, he said that, “under the advice of healthcare professionals,” he plans to “transition from virtual work to in person work within a matter of weeks.”“At that time I will be completely transparent as to the nature of my medical condition,” he added. “I understand the need for transparency on this matter and I look forward to sharing my experiences with the public.”Speaker Mike Johnson has continued to publicly support Kean, and President Donald Trump officially endorsed the incumbent earlier this week on Truth Social, calling him a “tremendous advocate” of Trump’s “America First Agenda.”Johnson told reporters last week that he called Kean “a few weeks ago,” but claimed he—like the public—did not have many details regarding Kean’s medical issues. New Jersey’s 7th District was competitive long before Kean’s absence. According to the Cook Political Report, NJ-07 is one of the most competitive districts in the country, and has declared the race a “tossup”.Kean flipped the seat in 2022 by just three points when he ousted two-term incumbent Rep. Tom Malinowski, and President Donald Trump won the district by only one point in 2024, while in 2020, former President Joe Biden took the district with 51%. In 2025, Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill won the district by just two points.