New Jersey House Race Spending Near $35 Million

Campaign spending in New Jersey’s Seventh District congressional race has reached nearly $35 million. This amount makes it the most expensive House contest in the state’s history. The figure combines direct candidate expenditures with outside group support. OpenSecrets, a political tracking organization, provided the data.

Republican incumbent Tom Kean Jr. faces a challenge from Democrat Rebecca Bennett. Both parties view the district as essential for controlling the U.S. House of Representatives. Advertisements have saturated television and digital platforms during the final week of the campaign. The messaging from both sides focuses on specific policy and personal attacks.

Pro-Bennett groups, including House Majority PAC, have emphasized Kean’s voting record during his absences. They claim he missed 140 votes while away from the House for four months. A new advertisement released on October 26 states that Kean doubled his net worth during his time in office. The ad cites $5.2 million in stock trading, linking his investments in data centers, defense, and insurance to specific votes.

Republican advertisements counter by linking Bennett to a Pennsylvania pediatrician convicted of sexually abusing children. They note that Bennett worked for a company partnered with a healthcare firm that owned the hospital where the doctor practiced. Another recent ad portrays Bennett as a wealthy outsider, with two speakers referring to her as a greedy millionaire who avoided church with Republicans.

Neither set of advertisements mentions that Kean was absent from Congress due to a diagnosis of depression. The Republican spots also omit the fact that the pediatrician pleaded guilty before Bennett became involved with the healthcare firm. Research indicates that these late-stage advertisements are effective in prompting voter action despite widespread complaints about their content.

In the Second District, Mayor Zack Mullock of Cape May is challenging Republican Representative Jeff Van Drew. Mullock has received nearly $1.5 million in recent support from Project 218 PAC. This funding has allowed for advertisements tying Van Drew to President Trump and local utility executives. The race was not considered competitive until recently, and Mullock’s chances of victory remain low.

Advertising in other New Jersey districts has been minimal due to the likelihood of incumbent victories. In the Ninth District, Democratic Representative Nellie Pou is running positive ads in English and Spanish. Her Republican opponent, Rosie Pino, is airing introductory spots in multiple languages to present herself to voters.