New Jersey 7th District Voter Guide: Kean, Bennett and O'Toole on Costs and Energy
Three candidates are on the ballot in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026: Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr., who is seeking a third term, Democrat Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter and test pilot, and Seamus Patrick O'Toole, an independent running under the ballot slogan Stop Israel's Genocide.
The Digital Free Press voter guide video compares the three candidates on the cost of living and energy. Here is where each one stands, based on the video, the candidates' own websites and statements, the NJ Spotlight News voter guide and WHYY's voter guide.
The 7th District covers all of Hunterdon and Warren counties and parts of Morris, Somerset, Sussex and Union counties, according to NJ Spotlight News. A September poll reported by NJ Spotlight News put Bennett at 47% and Kean at 42% among likely voters, within the poll's 4.7-point margin of error.
Why the Cost of Living and Energy Are Issues
On her first day in office in January 2026, Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency on utility costs and directing regulators to offset electricity supply increases with bill credits, according to the state Board of Public Utilities. In September, the board voted to keep electric rates roughly level. New Jersey Monitor reported that the votes came "amid a worldwide spike in electricity prices driven by data centers' mammoth energy demands and supply disruptions stemming from the Iran war and Russia's invasion of Ukraine." Property taxes and the federal cap on the state and local tax deduction, known as SALT, remain central issues for homeowners in the district.
Tom Kean Jr. (Republican, Incumbent)
Kean, 58, of Westfield, was elected to Congress in 2022 and serves on the House Energy and Commerce and Foreign Affairs committees. He was elected to the New Jersey Assembly in 2001 and then spent 14 years as Republican leader in the state Senate, according to his NJ Spotlight News answers. He lives in Westfield with his wife, Rhonda, and their two daughters.
On the cost of living, the video says Kean supports small businesses and removing regulatory barriers to job creation. His campaign website, as quoted by WHYY, says he backs "pro-growth policies to support small businesses, removing regulatory barriers to job creation, and returning our critical supply chain to full, functional operations." In his NJ Spotlight News answers, he wrote, "I led the fight to quadruple the SALT deduction cap to $40,000," and called for "cutting the red tape on the federal level so businesses can grow and keep groceries and goods affordable."
On energy, the video says Kean supports more American-made energy to reduce costs and reliance on foreign oil. His House website says he is "committed to supporting energy policies that increase American-made energy, reduce America's dependence on foreign oil, reduce costs for New Jersey residents, and conserve our natural resources," and that he supports an all-of-the-above energy policy. He told NJ Spotlight News, "We must restore American energy independence and become a net exporter again." In July, his office says, he wrote to the presidents of PSE&G and JCP&L demanding answers about prolonged power outages.
Rebecca Bennett (Democrat)
Bennett, 39, of Bridgewater, served more than 15 years in uniform as a helicopter pilot, experimental test pilot, aircraft commander and Air National Guard officer, and says she was the 18th woman to become a Navy test pilot. She earned an MBA from the Wharton School using the GI Bill and later worked in health care at Johnson and Johnson and digital health companies, according to her NJ Spotlight News answers. She is a mother of two and won a four-way Democratic primary in June.
On the cost of living, the video says Bennett would cut red tape, expand affordable housing and restore the SALT deduction. Her campaign website says she would "lead efforts to cut red tape, increase housing supply and construction, and make housing more affordable for buyers and renters," and would "fully restore the SALT deduction so that New Jersey taxpayers are no longer double taxed on their hard-earned income." Her site also calls for paid family leave and help with elder care costs.
On energy, the video says Bennett believes New Jersey should be a hub for clean energy manufacturing and related jobs. Her website says she wants to "ensure New Jersey is a national leader in clean energy, biotech, AI development, and high-tech jobs" and to "lower energy costs across New Jersey by investing in clean, reliable, and domestic energy sources, so that families pay less and our communities are more energy resilient."
Seamus O'Toole (Independent)
O'Toole, who lists a post office box in Clark as his address, is on the ballot under the slogan Stop Israel's Genocide. In June, he survived a challenge to his nominating petitions brought by a former Hillsborough Democratic chair, the New Jersey Globe reported. WHYY reported that "O'Toole does not have a campaign website or a Facebook campaign presence" and that "there is no record that he has made public comments about any domestic issues." He has no endorsements, according to WHYY.
The video says no published position was found for O'Toole on either topic. The Digital Free Press also found no published positions from him on the cost of living or energy.
Where to Follow the Candidates
Tom Kean Jr.: @KeanForCongress on X and @tomkean on Instagram. Rebecca Bennett: @RebeccaForNJ07 on X and @rebeccafornj07 on Instagram. Seamus O'Toole: no campaign social media accounts found.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. This guide is for information only; The Digital Free Press does not endorse any candidate.
Yossi Schmidt, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Digital Free Press
Hold Everyone Accountable.
Sources: New Jersey Division of Elections, Official List, Candidates for House of Representatives (Sept. 4, 2026): https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2026/2026-official-general-candidates-us-house-0904.pdf ; Ballotpedia, New Jersey's 7th Congressional District election, 2026: https://ballotpedia.org/New_Jersey%27s_7th_Congressional_District_election,_2026 ; NJ Spotlight News, 2026 Election: 7th Congressional District: https://www.njspotlightnews.org/special-report/2026-primary-7th-congressional-district/ ; NJ Spotlight News, "Kean, Bennett compete for voters in tight 7th District race" (September 2026): https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/09/kean-bennett-compete-for-voters-in-tight-7th-district-race/ ; WHYY, "NJ election 2026: Your 7th Congressional District voter guide": https://whyy.org/articles/election-2026-new-jersey-7th-congressional-district-voter-guide/ ; Office of Rep. Tom Kean Jr., Energy and Environment: https://kean.house.gov/issues/energy-and-environment ; Tom Kean campaign: https://tomkean.com/ ; Rebecca Bennett campaign, Making New Jersey More Affordable: https://rebeccabennettforcongress.com/priorities/making-new-jersey-more-affordable/ ; Rebecca Bennett campaign, Growing New Jersey's Economy: https://rebeccabennettforcongress.com/priorities/growing-new-jerseys-economy/ ; New Jersey Globe, "Stop Israel's Genocide NJ-7 candidate survives Dem petition challenge": https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/stop-israels-genocide-nj-7-candidate-survives-dem-petition-challenge/ ; New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (Feb. 12, 2026): https://www.nj.gov/bpu/newsroom/2026/approved/20260212.html ; New Jersey Monitor, "NJ utilities board votes to keep electricity rates level" (Sept. 24, 2026): https://newjerseymonitor.com/2026/09/24/utilities-board-votes-electric-rates/
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