House Speaker Mike Johnson campaigned for Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District on Friday, joining the Republican incumbent at a breakfast event in Warren County as Kean seeks re-election in one of the nation’s most competitive House races.
Johnson’s appearance underscores the strategic importance of Kean’s race to the Republican majority. “When you rank the races around the country, everybody looks to the 7th District of New Jersey almost every cycle as a very important one,” Johnson said at the event.
Kean, 57, is running unopposed in the Republican primary and faces Democratic candidate Rebecca Bennett in the general election on November 3. Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot who has worked in healthcare in the private sector, has not accepted corporate political action committee money, according to WFMZ reporting. Kean has raised nearly $1.2 million for his campaign.
Kean’s campaign comes after a prolonged absence from Congress that lasted nearly four months. He missed more than 140 votes between March 5 and June 30, 2026, when he returned to the House floor and disclosed that he had been battling depression. The congressman told WFMZ on Friday that he felt “refreshed and renewed,” and highlighted legislative accomplishments including bringing radios for police to his district and $2.4 million for a park in Phillipsburg.
The New Jersey 7th has been identified as one of the most competitive House districts in the country heading into 2026. Kean’s return to active campaigning is critical for Johnson’s razor-thin Republican majority, which depends on holding seats in swing districts like this one.
The candidates are scheduled to debate on September 27, with the general election taking place on November 3.
Sources
- WFMZ — reported on Johnson’s appearance with Kean in Warren County on August 21, 2026, including direct quotes from both Johnson and Kean, candidate information, and fundraising figures
- Ballotpedia — confirmed the general election matchup between Kean and Bennett on November 3, 2026, and identified the district as competitive
- GovTrack — documented Kean’s absence from Congress, noting he missed 142 of 142 votes during the period from March 17 to June 29, 2026
- Wikipedia — confirmed Kean’s absence from March 5 to June 30, 2026, during which he missed more than 100 votes
