Kean and Bennett Debate New Jersey Seventh District Seat

Republican Representative Thomas Kean Jr. and Democratic challenger Rebecca Bennett debated on Sunday in Rahway, New Jersey, as they compete for the seat in New Jersey's Seventh District. The event marked the first extensive public questioning for Kean since he spent four months away from Congress receiving medical treatment for depression.

During the debate, Kean attempted to distance himself from President Donald Trump by opposing the administration's plan to convert a Roxbury warehouse into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center and the renaming of Lake Ontario to Lake America. He also opposed efforts to strip funding from the Gateway Hudson River rail tunnel. Despite these breaks, Kean maintained his support for Trump's tariffs and policies regarding the war in Iran.

Bennett criticized Kean's loyalty to the president, his voting record on Medicaid, and his failure to place assets in a blind trust. She called for an end to the war in Iran, arguing that the conflict is driving up gas prices. Bennett further claimed that Kean has been unable to secure the funding for the Gateway tunnel despite Trump's attempts to hold it up.