Bennett Targets Republican Voters as New Jersey Democrats Expand House Campaign

Democrats are mounting an increasingly ambitious challenge to Republicans in New Jersey ahead of the November 3, 2026, midterm elections, with Rebecca Bennett seeking to unseat Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in the state's 7th Congressional District and Zack Mullock emerging as a potential challenger to Rep. Jeff Van Drew in the 2nd District. Bennett's campaign is focusing on affordability and moderate policies to attract independent voters and Republicans dissatisfied with Donald Trump.

A recent poll cited by Gothamist and InsiderNJ placed Bennett approximately five percentage points ahead of Kean. The Cook Political Report has shifted the 7th District to Lean Democrat, although registered Republicans outnumber Democrats there by roughly 20,000 voters.

New Jersey's congressional delegation currently includes nine Democrats and three Republicans. NJ.com reported that Democrats could potentially expand their advantage to 11 seats if Bennett and Mullock both win, though political observers consider defeating Van Drew substantially less likely.

Bennett addressed supporters at a gathering in Bernards Township while emphasizing the competitiveness of her race.

"There is a lot of stuff in the news right now about how, like, Tom Kean is cooked. I'm here to tell you guys it is a toss-up race." Bennett said.

Matthew Hale, a political science professor at Seton Hall University, said Bennett must persuade voters who traditionally support Republicans but oppose the current direction of the party.

"It is a Republican-advantaged district, there's no doubt about that," Hale said.

He added that Bennett needs support from longtime Republicans who have become uncomfortable with Trump's leadership.

"She's got to get people who may have been a Republican all their life, but realize they can't stand Donald Trump [and] this is not their Republican Party – and there's still a fair number of those there." Hale said.

Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot with more than 15 years of military experience, has presented herself as a pragmatic moderate. Her campaign emphasizes healthcare, childcare, housing costs and practical problem-solving rather than divisive cultural issues.

"When I was in the military, we were just there as Americans to get the job done, and we didn’t talk about what political party we were in. It’s about really being able to go solve problems that we’re all facing." Bennett said in an interview with NJ Spotlight after winning the June primary.

She has also distinguished herself from more progressive Democrats on immigration and Middle East policy.

"I don’t want to abolish ICE." Bennett said.

She has advocated reforming Immigration and Customs Enforcement rather than eliminating the agency and has expressed support for stronger border security.

"We need to work towards a two-state solution in the Middle East. We need to work towards long-term stability in the region. But it's about making sure we have serious people at the table to make sure we're working towards that." Bennett told Gothamist.

Kean, a two-term incumbent, has faced scrutiny over his 116-day absence from Congress earlier in 2026. He said upon returning to Washington that he had been receiving treatment for depression, while his office had previously disclosed only that he was dealing with a medical issue.

"I certainly would have been more transparent on it if I were the member, as opposed to how he handled it." Bennett said.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries visited Linden on Friday to support Bennett's campaign. At an event in Greater Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, Jeffries criticized Kean's extended absence.

"disrespectful" Jeffries called the absence, according to InsiderNJ.

Asked about his relationship with Kean in Congress, Jeffries responded with another criticism.

"He's not been an active member of Congress." Jeffries said.

Bennett has also accused Kean's campaign of misrepresenting her background. In September, the candidates held their only debate, during which Kean questioned her positions and attempted to associate her with the Democratic Party's progressive wing.

"My opponent right now couldn't even mention one member of Congress on her own side that she wouldn't vote for. She supports people who are openly antisemitic, who call Israel's justified actions genocide." Kean said during the debate.

According to AdImpact data cited by Gothamist, Republicans have committed nearly $19 million to broadcast and digital advertising in the district, compared with approximately $5.8 million for Democrats. Kean's campaign and its allies have attacked Bennett over her executive experience at Johnson & Johnson and Midi Health, particularly in connection with healthcare industry practices.

At a later campaign appearance, Bennett rejected the allegations.

"What we are seeing from him is that he is lying about my background, because he has no record to stand on for himself. So, we are going to push back on the lies and misinformation he is putting out." Bennett said.

She also criticized the tone of the campaign's advertising.

"We should be focused on how to actually make people's lives better." Bennett said.

"The people of this district deserve better." Bennett added.

Independent voter Dennis Reznick of Bernardsville said property taxes remain important but are not his only consideration. He donated $1,000 directly to Bennett after expressing concern about healthcare affordability and Kean's support for presidential policies.

"Frankly, there's more important things to me." Reznick said, describing Kean as a "rubber-stamp" for the president's policies.

Former Republican Sue Squires of Bedminster, who supported both George W. Bush administrations but did not vote for Trump, also urged voters to consider alternatives.

"consider other people before we cast our ballot." Squires said.

She called for voters to prioritize broader public interests when choosing their representatives.

"I think the voters should vote with their brains." Squires said.

"And they have to vote honestly and truthfully at what's right for humanity – and not what's right for a selective few." Squires added.

New Jersey's political climate could also affect Van Drew's reelection campaign in the southern 2nd District. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee recently added the seat to its Districts in Play list, identifying it as a potential opportunity to expand the party's House majority.

A Rutgers-Eagleton poll cited by NJ.com found Trump's approval rating among New Jersey residents at 24%, while respondents also reported struggling with the state's high cost of living.

Van Drew won reelection in 2024 by 17 percentage points, and Trump carried the district by 13 points that year. The Cook Political Report continues to rate the seat Solid Republican, while an internal poll conducted by Democratic firm GQR last month showed Van Drew leading Mullock by nine points.

Ben Dworkin, director of Rowan University's Institute for Public Policy and Citizenship, said national Democrats' interest in the district reflects the current political momentum.

"believe they have a chance in the Van Drew district gives you a sense of who’s got the momentum." Dworkin said.

Mullock welcomed the national party's decision to target the district.

"groundswell of people in CD-2 looking for change." Mullock told Insider NJ.

One Democratic operative described the race as a potential opening, citing Mullock's candidacy and residents' financial pressures, including dependence on Medicaid and SNAP benefits.

"It's a perfect storm of elements." the operative said.

However, some political insiders cautioned that Van Drew retains fundraising advantages and that Democrats have not guaranteed substantial additional financial support for Mullock. The Cook Political Report has said a major electoral shift would be necessary to change the district's Republican advantage.

Republican state Sen. Brian Bergen said the party must prepare for a difficult election cycle.

"It's poised to be a tough year." Bergen said.

He warned that Republicans should defend every seat rather than assume their districts are safe.

"We can't take anything for granted. That's just the reality. I think we'd be foolish not to be playing hard defense anywhere we have a seat." Bergen said.

A Republican insider also expressed concern that Trump's standing nationally could hurt candidates in local races.

"If the reports are true and accurate ... we are f**ked." the source said.

The source questioned whether Republican candidates could withstand a backlash against the party's leadership in Washington.

"Can you withstand potential voter backlash toward Republicans?" the source said.

Democrats previously won 11 of New Jersey's 12 House seats during the 2018 midterm elections, when Trump was serving his first term. The state's current three Republican-held seats include Kean's 7th District, Van Drew's 2nd District and Rep. Chris Smith's 4th District, which political observers consider safely Republican.

In Bernards Township, where Republicans have historically dominated local politics, Democrats recently elected the town's first Democratic mayor in its 266-year history. The shift offers additional context for Bennett's effort to attract voters beyond the traditional Democratic base.

During his visit to Linden, Jeffries described the November election as a decisive moment for control of the House. Bennett said she would support Jeffries for speaker if elected, while the party's broader strategy remains focused on competitive districts across New Jersey.