House Speaker Mike Johnson joined Republican Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. for a campaign stop in Warren County, New Jersey on Friday, August 21, as the incumbent congressman works to hold his seat in one of the nation’s most competitive House races heading into the November general election.
Kean Jr. and Johnson held a breakfast event at Hawk Point Golf Club in Washington Township, marking Kean’s return to active campaigning after a prolonged absence from Congress. According to the WFMZ report, Kean Jr. had been sidelined since March 5 due to mental health issues, missing 140 votes during nearly four months away from the Capitol.
“I took some, I had to focus on my mental health and I had depression,” Kean Jr. said at the event. “I’m back feeling stronger than ever and I’ve been helping people throughout the entirety of the year.”
Johnson’s visit underscores the national stakes of the race. WFMZ reported that the Speaker said: “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.” The district is rated a toss-up by the Cook Political Report and Inside Elections, making it one of only 18 truly competitive House races nationwide for 2026.
Kean Jr., who ran unopposed in the Republican primary on June 2, faces Democratic challenger Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot and healthcare professional. Bennett won the Democratic primary in June and has made the cost-of-living crisis central to her campaign message, according to WFMZ. The two candidates are scheduled to debate on September 27, with Election Day on November 3.
According to WFMZ, Kean Jr. has raised almost $1.2 million in the race. Bennett has not accepted Corporate Political Action Committee money, focusing her fundraising on grassroots support. The district has become a focal point for both parties as they look ahead to the 2026 midterms, with the House currently held by Republicans on a narrow 217-212 margin.
Kean Jr. highlighted his legislative accomplishments during the campaign event, citing his work to raise the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000 per year through 2029, as well as securing $2.4 million for a park in Phillipsburg and funding for police radios across the district. He centered his message on affordability and keeping residents in the district amid high property tax burdens.
The 2026 race in New Jersey’s 7th District is shaping up as a key battleground. Ballotpedia notes that the district includes parts of Union, Essex, and Morris counties, areas that have shifted in recent election cycles. A Politico report from June 3, 2026 noted that Bennett had raised $776,000 as of mid-May, indicating a well-funded challenge to the incumbent.
Sources
- WFMZ — Campaign event details, Johnson’s remarks, Kean Jr.’s statements on mental health and policy accomplishments, fundraising figures, debate date, and election day
- Ballotpedia — District composition, primary results, and general election information
- Politico — Bennett’s fundraising as of mid-May 2026
- Cook Political Report — Toss-up rating for the district
- Inside Elections — Competitive race rating
