Former Navy Pilot Wins Key New Jersey Primary

Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, won the New Jersey Democratic primary in the battleground 7th Congressional District Tuesday to take on Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr., who has been absent from Congress with an unspecified illness for months. Bennett's victory over three other Democrats in the closely-watched district sets up the state's premier contest in November, when Democrats hope they can flip the onetime GOP stronghold that has proven competitive in recent years, the AP reports. The district includes bedroom communities and farm towns as well as President Trump's Bedminster golf club.

Kean's absence—his last vote was in early March—has supercharged interest in the seat, which Democrats view as key to winning control of the narrowly divided House and Republicans recognize as important to defend. Voters in the district have ousted two incumbents during midterm elections over the past decade.

• Democrats are leaning into the rising costs of groceries and gasoline caused by the Iran war and Trump's sweeping tariffs. They're casting blame at Republicans and Kean in particular, who they say is a bad fit for the district, pointing to his support for the president's signature tax cut legislation.
• Bennett built her campaign around her experience as a Navy helicopter pilot as well as around affordability, noting that she drives a no-frills sedan and emphasizing her relatability as a working mom. Her victory comes as Kean, who has emphasized a bipartisan approach while also getting Trump's endorsement, has missed numerous votes in the House.

• Kean, who was running unopposed in the GOP primary, issued a statement on Tuesday saying, "I will continue putting our constituents first" and "I am optimistic about the road ahead. "Right now I am focused on my recovery and under the advice of healthcare professionals. I will transition from virtual work to in person work within a matter of weeks," Kean said.
• The New York Times spoke to dozens of GOP voters in the district on Tuesday. Some expressed concern about Kean's absence but voted for him anyway. One self-described "card-carrying Republican" left the box blank to protest Kean's willingness to "kowtow" to Trump. "Look at the price of gas. Look at the price of food," she said. "And all of this money going to a war with what end?" Another voter praised Trump and told the Times, "I'd rather have an empty seat than a Democrat."