WASHINGTON, N.J. — Washington, D.C., is undoubtedly the center of gravity in American politics, but another Washington over 100 miles away could help decide the fate of Congress for the latter half of President Donald Trump’s term.
It’s a small town in New Jersey where Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., urged GOP supporters to help get Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., re-elected to the House in November. Kean is seeking a third term representing the Garden State’s 7th Congressional District, which is notably home to Trump’s Bedminster golf course where he spends a significant amount of time.
“We consider this a top three race, not just a top 10. That’s how important it is to us. It has a target on its back,” Johnson told the room at Hawke Point Golf Club, Fox News Digital heard. “They’re investing tons of money to try to take [Kean] down, but they are not going to be successful.”
The district happens to be one of the most critical battlegrounds in the country this year. Trump narrowly won the area by two points in 2024, though it flipped for Democrat Gov. Mikie Sherrill by the same margin in 2025.
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Democrats are now betting they have a real opportunity to score another victory in November by sending former Navy helicopter pilot Rebecca Bennett to the House. And with such a small number of House seats still considered politically neutral, it could prove decisive for which party controls the House next year.
Kean’s morning fundraiser saw key figures in New Jersey Republican politics having breakfast as the congressman and speaker made the case for why he needs another term. Attendees included members of the Republican National Committee, local elected officials, and former Rep. Leonard Lance, the last Republican to represent Kean’s district.
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If Republicans win, that means enacting Trump’s agenda for another two years. Johnson told Fox News Digital the GOP has “aggressive” plans to tackle government waste and excessive spending. But if Democrats win the district — and potentially the House — Trump’s goals could grind to a halt.
Kean, for his part, told Fox News Digital that he’s confident he can win again.
“I’ve been a really effective legislator who’s brought things back to the district, who’s listened to my constituents on their needs and their concerns, in contrast to my opponent, who has really been a very abject partisan,” Kean said on the sidelines of his event.
“She’s actually stopped going to church because there are Republicans [there]. So when you think about that contrast — a person can’t even go to religious services with people of the other party — she’ll never work across the aisle. She’ll be always in the far-left corner of whoever is in her caucus and whoever is in her leadership. And that’s not what this district needs.”
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Bennett spokesperson Carly Jones hit back at Kean’s accusation, “Rebecca is an active member of her local church and talks openly on the campaign trail about her faith, which inspired her to serve her country in uniform and run for office. She is proudly building a coalition of Democrats, Independents and Republicans to flip this seat in November.”
Kean noted he’s seen legislative success under both the Biden and Trump administrations, and his bipartisan efforts were on display — by what was not on display. The congressman’s name appeared throughout the event, but without mention of “GOP” or “Republican.” A sign outside the door only said “Tom Kean for Congress.”
Conventional wisdom dictates that the party in power faces significant losses in Congress during the midterms. Critics of whoever is president generally turn out in droves to vote for the other side, in this case, Democrats.
Kean noted that he’s had legislation signed into law by former President Joe Biden, but also insisted he backed Trump “fully.”
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“He’s done great things for this country and will continue to do great things for this country. He has been a very effective leader,” Kean said of the current president.
And Johnson deployed a pinch-hitter to help gin up enthusiasm on Friday: All-Star professional baseball player Mark Teixeira, who posed for photos with excited attendees. Teixeira is running his own campaign for Congress and is likely to win a safe red seat in Texas.
Republican leaders are also seizing on the far-left insurgency that’s toppled establishment Democrats in recent months as evidence that they should not get control of the House.
“It’s very effective because people see what’s happening. This isn’t campaign rhetoric. They give us new illustrations every day,” Johnson told Fox News Digital in an interview. “It’s a challenge to the very foundational principles of America, and that is increasingly what the Democrat Party represents… The Marxist-communist element is taking over that party, sadly, and it’s really alarming for our country.”
Kean was notably absent from the campaign trail and the halls of Congress from March through June this year, with few knowing the circumstances until the congressman publicly admitted he was being treated for depression. Upon his return, he introduced legislation aimed at making it easier for people to pay for mental healthcare.
Bennett did not criticize the reason for his absence but has previously accused him of continuing to trade stocks during that time. She similarly told Fox News Digital in a written statement that Kean made millions from the stock market.
“I spent 15 years serving our country in the military, and I felt called to serve once again because I can’t sit on the sidelines while Washington corruption, rising costs, and devastating healthcare cuts crush New Jersey families. Congressman Tom Kean Jr. has failed to show up for our community while trading more than $3 million worth of stocks during his time in office,” she told Fox News Digital.
