District 7 General Election 2026: Rebecca Bennett

DISTRICT 7, NJ —District 7's Congressional general election on Nov. 3 has three candidates running for one open seat.

Democrat Rebecca Bennett is running against Republican incumbent Tom Kean Jr. and Seamus Patrick O'Toole with the "Stop Israel's Genocide" party.

Are you running for office in District 7? Contact Alexis Tarrazi at alexis.tarrazi@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements.

Rebecca Bennett

Age: 39

Town of residence: Bridgewater, NJ

Position sought: U.S. House of Representatives, Congressional District 7

Party affiliation: Democrat

Family: Husband, Alex. Two daughters, ages 4 and 7

Education: B.S. Chemical Engineering, Cornell University, M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania

Occupation: Healthcare leader

Previous or current elected appointed office: None

Campaign website: rebeccabennettforcongress.com

Why are you seeking election for Congress?

My life is the story of the American dream, but right now, that dream is too far out of reach for so many New Jerseyans. I am running to make the American dream a reality once again. There are three key things I am focused on: tackling our cost of living crisis, taking on the corruption in Washington, and putting country over party to make sure we are leaving this country better off than we found it.

In Congress, I am going to fight to lower health care costs and expand access to care. I’ll work to ensure no family is paying more than 7 percent of their income in child care, and invest in cleaner, cheaper energy sources to lower utility bills. I’ll fight for a stock trading ban for members of Congress, and work to overturn the Citizens United decision so lawmakers are actually answering to the people they serve instead of putting their own portfolios or corporate donors first. And I’ll always put country over party to keep us out of foreign wars that are driving up costs and putting our servicemembers in danger. It’s time for a new generation of leadership in Washington who will clean up the corruption that is costing New Jersey families.

Costs associated with inflation and the cost of living continue to rise; how do you propose keeping taxes low?

Taxes are way too high across New Jersey’s seventh district. We love New Jersey because of our first-rate education system and quality of life, but everything is so expensive and things feel really tight. Right now, it feels like we’re paying more and getting less.

In Congress, I will fight for tax relief for middle-class New Jerseyans by making sure that our tax code is fair. I’ll also fight to lower the cost of healthcare that is driving up costs for towns and municipalities, and in turn, going to raise our taxes.

New Jersey also pays more in federal taxes than we get in return. I will fight tooth and nail to ensure that our federal tax dollars are being invested in our communities for public safety, infrastructure, and education.

Healthcare access can be a challenge for constituents. How do you propose making this easier for residents?

Tom Kean Jr. was the deciding vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill which is driving up healthcare premium costs, kicking people off of their healthcare, and taking food assistance away from hungry kids in order to give tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations.

I’ll fight to restore those cuts, as well as cuts to critical medical research that will save lives. But we can’t just go back to the way that things were. That’s why I’ll work to create a public insurance option so that everyone can have health insurance, regardless of employment status. I’ll work to expand drug price negotiations so that New Jerseyans don’t have to choose between filling their prescriptions and their gas tank. And I’ll work to expand provider pipelines to address staffing shortages that are making it more difficult for people to get care.

Energy concerns have been raised concerning AI data centers. How do you feel about this?

My family’s utility bill went up by over $200 last summer, and I understand that data centers are putting a big strain on our resources. In Congress, I will fight for a regulatory framework that ensures data centers are paying their fair share and in a separate rate class to make sure that families are not subsidizing electricity costs. Data centers should not be able to negatively impact the environment, and should be using technologies like closed-loop water systems to protect local resources.

I also believe that community voices must be heard before a data center comes to any community. If a town decides that blocking all data centers is what is best for the community, that decision needs to be respected.

I'm running because we need leaders in office who understand this technology, the risks it poses, and how we can make sure we are not losing an opportunity to bring good-paying jobs to New Jersey.

What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in District 7?

We need to end the cost-of-living crisis that is crushing New Jersey families. I’m living it just like so many New Jerseyans. I drive a 2010 Honda Accord, my husband and I have sat down at the kitchen table to adjust our budget after seeing our utility bill skyrocket, and I know what it’s like to have to pay way too much for child care. In Congress, I am going to be laser focused on lowering the cost of living — from healthcare to housing to utilities — so that New Jerseyans can get ahead. But we won’t lower costs if we can’t get corruption out of Washington. For too long, politicians like Tom Kean Jr. have prioritized their stock portfolios over holding special interests accountable to make life better for us. I’m running to change that.

What is your favorite thing about living in New Jersey?

The people! My husband Alex and I are raising our two daughters, ages 4 and 7, right here in New Jersey’s seventh district. We decided to put roots down here because of the great schools and fantastic community we’ve found here. My girls are truly thriving, and I’m running so all of our kids can take advantage of everything New Jersey has to offer.

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your campaign?

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