Republican Representative Tom Kean Jr. lost his bid for a third House term Tuesday, falling to Democrat Rebecca Bennett in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District. The defeat concludes a difficult reelection campaign for Kean, marked by a nearly four-month absence from Congress earlier this year.
Kean trailed Bennett significantly, with results showing 37% for Kean and 62% for Bennett as of 9:45 p.m. EST. Kean's absence from the House spanned from March 5 to June 30, during which he missed more than 100 roll call votes without a clear explanation.
Upon his return, Kean revealed on the House floor that he had been dealing with an episode of depression that led to hospitalization. "When people hear the word depression, many people think, simply feel, it means feeling sad," Kean stated. "But depression is so much more than that. It is physical, it is emotional, and until you experience it yourself, it is difficult to fully understand how powerful this illness can be."
Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, ran on a platform that included healthcare policy and criticized Kean's voting record and past support for then-President Trump. National concerns over gas prices, affordability, the war in Iran, and Trump's approval ratings also played a role in the election's outcome.
Kean Jr. comes from a prominent political dynasty in New Jersey. His ancestor, William Livingston, was the first governor of the state. His father, Tom Kean Sr., also served as New Jersey governor from 1982 to 1990 and later chaired the bipartisan commission that investigated the 9/11 attacks. Kean Jr. himself had previously served as minority leader in the state Senate before his narrow election to the 7th Congressional District.