Greetings all. Excited to share with you a new discussion with one of our very best candidates of the cycle, Rebecca Bennett, who is running in NJ-07. We rallied for Rebecca in her primary when Republicans made a massive buy against her, helping her prevail in a race she won handily by 26 points. That big win in a very competitive primary was a sign that Republicans were right to be worried about her.
Here is how Rebecca began our discussion:
Just a quick background on me for folks I haven't had the chance to speak with before — I'm a former Navy helicopter pilot. I served in the military for over 15 years, and I led missions, people, and teams all over the world. From there, I went to Wharton and got my MBA, and then I moved into healthcare, where I've been working ever since. I've worked in a bunch of different areas of healthcare. I'm really passionate about women's health and making sure we're supporting women across our entire lifespan.
I'm also a mom. I've got two girls — one of them made the sign that's right here on my background. And really, the reason I felt called to run for Congress is very similar to why I joined the military — it's because I love this country, and I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign or domestic. And for me, this is about making sure that we are leaving the best possible version of the country we can for my daughters and the next generation. I really felt called to serve in this capacity, and that's what led me to step up and run for office.
NJ-7 is one the most Democratic leaning districts currently held by a Republican. Biden won it by 4 in 2020, Trump won it by 1 in 2024 (Downballot), and Cook Report has its Partisan Voter Index (PVI) as even between Ds and Rs. As they have all across the country things have shifted towards the Democrats in New Jersey since 2024 when Harris won by 6 points. Governor Mikie Sherrill won her governor’s race last November by 14.4 points, 57%-43%, 8 points better than Harris, a result consistent with the same movement we’ve seen in the generic ballot nationally since the 2024 election. So this is a very winnable race - if we Rebecca gets the resources she needs to communicate.
You can contribute to Rebecca by giving to our Winning The House - Second Wave Fund or by giving to her directly here. You can also head to her website to learn and more volunteer. She already has over 1,000 volunteers signed up! A reminder that our Second Wave Fund was set up to help our candidates who emerged from later primaries and needed help replenishing their campaigns as they head into what will be expensive general elections.
The NJ-07 incumbent, Tom Kean Jr., comes from a well known political family and has been tough to beat. However, he is the Member who infamously disappeared for four months earlier this year. Here’s Rebecca on Kean:
The incumbent Republican is a guy named Tom Kean Jr. Folks might have heard about him in the news because he disappeared for 117 days earlier this year.
…………
His record is terrible, and he was failing us long before he disappeared. He was the deciding vote on the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which is why millions of Americans are losing access to their health insurance, and tens of thousands of people in my district are losing access to their health insurance. He was nowhere to be found when Donald Trump started another forever war in the Middle East, and was nowhere to be found when they tried to hold up funding for a really critical infrastructure project in our district. And he has continued to trade stocks this entire time — he’s traded almost three million dollars in stocks during his time in office. So ultimately, I’m running to serve everyone in my district and to make this country better, and he is running to enrich himself.
Like so many of the other incumbents Republicans we’ve learned about this cycle Kean has enriched himself through stock trading while in Congress, even earning $340,000 in trades while he was away from Congress.
Bennett has challenged Kean to six debates in the district in the days after mail ballots drop in New Jersey in September. We’ll see if he shows up - something he’s not very good at!
Enjoy meeting another one of the proud patriots running hard to flip the House for us this cycle, share it with others, hit like so more will see it, and keep working hard all. For we have a country to save, and elections like this one in NJ-7 to win, together! Simon
Bio - Rebecca Bennett, Democratic Nominee In New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District
From her campaign website:
Navy Helicopter Pilot. Healthcare Leader. Mom.
A former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, officer in the Air National Guard, business leader in healthcare, and mom of two – Rebecca Bennett has always valued service.
Rebecca served in the Navy for over a decade as a helicopter pilot and aircraft commander. While in the service, she earned her M.B.A., with honors, from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, and started her family. Now she is a recognized business leader, working with mission-driven startups to advance healthcare opportunities for all Americans.
After serving her country for over fifteen years in the military and making waves in healthcare innovation, Rebecca is running for Congress to build a better future for our community. As a mom to two young girls, Rebecca understands first-hand the challenges of balancing work & family while navigating inflation and the rising cost of living.
So Rebecca is stepping up to bring a new kind of leadership to Washington. She’s not interested in scoring political points—she simply wants to make the country a better place for her family and yours.
Get to know Rebecca, learn more, and volunteer here.
