U.S. House, New Jersey 7th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated

Who should I vote for in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District?

Tom Kean Jr. has the strongest record in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District. Tom Kean Jr. scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Rebecca Bennett at 56, as of October 9, 2026. Tom Kean Jr.'s highest marks are relevant experience and coalition building. Rebecca Bennett's highest marks are integrity and communication. Seamus Patrick O'Toole (2 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.

Democratic

Rebecca Bennett

56 / 100

Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria

Character
58
Qualifications
55
Performance
NR

Campaign siteFEC filings

Republican · incumbent

Strongest record

Tom Kean Jr.

On the ballot as Thomas H. Kean Jr.

64 / 100

Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria

Character
50
Qualifications
75
Performance
69

Campaign siteOfficial officeFEC filings

Independent

Seamus Patrick O'Toole

Not enough public record for a score

Public evidence on 2 of 15 criteria

Character
NR
Qualifications
38
Performance
NR

The good, the bad and the unresolved

The record

The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.

Rebecca Bennett

Tom Kean Jr.

Seamus Patrick O'Toole

No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.

Who they are

Character

Integrity

Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.

3 / 4

Rebecca Bennett. Campaign reports and a 2026 candidate financial disclosure are on file with no FEC fine. Her disclosure lists individual stocks with no remaining value, and she says she and her husband moved to index and mutual funds in 2025.

Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10076779, Politico via Yahoo News, Aug. 5, 2026, New Jersey Monitor via Yahoo News, Sept. 29, 2026, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00897165

1 / 4

Tom Kean Jr.. Two stock transaction reports were filed past the deadline: six 2023 family partnership trades reported Sept. 18, 2023, which he acknowledged, and a 2023 sale reported in Aug. 2024 (see Record). No House Ethics finding or FEC fine.

Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20023717, InsiderNJ, Sept. 20, 2023, New Jersey Monitor via Yahoo News, Sept. 29, 2026, House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075136, House Committee on Ethics site search for Kean, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00703058

NR

Seamus Patrick O'Toole. No public record found.

Courage

Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.

NR

Rebecca Bennett. No public record found.

3 / 4

Tom Kean Jr.. Voted to expel Rep. George Santos in 2023 and for the 2025 federal workforce bargaining bill and the 2026 Breaking the Gridlock Act, both brought up by discharge petition, when Majority Leader Scalise voted Nay.

Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 691, 2023, House Clerk Roll Call 332, 2025, House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2026

NR

Seamus Patrick O'Toole. No public record found.

Accountability

Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.

2 / 4

Rebecca Bennett. Took part in the Sept. 27, 2026 general election debate with Kean in Rahway.

Source: PBS News (AP), Sept. 28, 2026

2 / 4

Tom Kean Jr.. Took part in one general election debate with Rebecca Bennett on Sept. 27, 2026, in Rahway. Holds telephone town halls.

Sources: PBS News (AP), Sept. 28, 2026, Office site press release, June 2025

NR

Seamus Patrick O'Toole. No public record found.

Temperament and judgment

Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.

NR

Rebecca Bennett. No public record found.

2 / 4

Tom Kean Jr.. Has held legislative office since 2001, including 14 years as New Jersey Senate Republican leader. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee matter found.

Sources: Ballotpedia, Thomas Kean Jr., House Committee on Ethics site search for Kean

NR

Seamus Patrick O'Toole. No public record found.

Fidelity to the oath

Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.

2 / 4

Rebecca Bennett. Served in the U.S. Navy as a helicopter pilot. No official finding of misuse of office found.

Sources: PBS News (AP), June 3, 2026, Ballotpedia, Rebecca Bennett

2 / 4

Tom Kean Jr.. Has held sworn office as a state legislator and U.S. representative; he was not in Congress for the 2017 or 2021 electoral vote objections. No official finding of misuse of office found.

Sources: Ballotpedia, Thomas Kean Jr., GovTrack member page

NR

Seamus Patrick O'Toole. No public record found.

What they bring

Qualifications

Relevant experience

Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.

2 / 4

Rebecca Bennett. Former Navy helicopter pilot and healthcare executive; has not held public office.

Sources: PBS News (AP), Sept. 28, 2026, Ballotpedia, Rebecca Bennett

4 / 4

Tom Kean Jr.. U.S. representative since 2023, seeking a third term; earlier served in the New Jersey Assembly from 2001 to 2003 and the state Senate from 2003 to 2022, as minority leader from 2008.

Sources: Ballotpedia, Thomas Kean Jr., GovTrack member page

NR

Seamus Patrick O'Toole. No public record found.

Command of the job

Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.

2 / 4

Rebecca Bennett. States priorities on accountability, affordability, health care and national security in general terms in her Ballotpedia survey.

Source: Ballotpedia, Rebecca Bennett

3 / 4

Tom Kean Jr.. Serves on the Energy and Commerce and Foreign Affairs committees and publishes issue pages on the economy, energy, health, immigration, infrastructure, defense and the SALT deduction.

Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Office site, home page

NR

Seamus Patrick O'Toole. No public record found.

Communication

Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.

3 / 4

Rebecca Bennett. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey, publishes campaign priorities and took part in a general election debate.

Sources: Ballotpedia, Rebecca Bennett, PBS News (AP), Sept. 28, 2026

3 / 4

Tom Kean Jr.. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey, holds quarterly telephone town halls, offers a newsletter and took part in a general election debate.

Sources: Ballotpedia, Thomas Kean Jr., Office site press release, June 2025, Office site, Office Locations, PBS News (AP), Sept. 28, 2026

1 / 4

Seamus Patrick O'Toole. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey, and no campaign website or published issue statement was found.

Source: Ballotpedia, Seamus O'Toole

Roots in the constituency

Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.

2 / 4

Rebecca Bennett. Says she lives in Bridgewater, which is split between the 7th and 12th districts; her filed address is a Somerville post office box. FEC by-state totals show about 44 percent of itemized individual contributions from New Jersey.

Sources: Ballotpedia, Rebecca Bennett, Wikipedia, New Jersey's 7th congressional district, FEC contribution totals by state

3 / 4

Tom Kean Jr.. Lives in Westfield, in the district, and represented the area in the state legislature from 2001 to 2022. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 28 percent of itemized individual contributions from New Jersey.

Sources: Office site, About, Wikipedia, New Jersey's 7th congressional district, Ballotpedia, Thomas Kean Jr., FEC contribution totals by state

2 / 4

Seamus Patrick O'Toole. His filed address is in Clark, which is in the 7th District.

Sources: New Jersey Division of Elections, official candidate list, Sept. 4, 2026, Wikipedia, New Jersey's 7th congressional district

Management

Can build and run an organization.

2 / 4

Rebecca Bennett. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.

Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00897165

2 / 4

Tom Kean Jr.. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.

Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00703058

NR

Seamus Patrick O'Toole. No public record found.

What they deliver

Performance

Results

Turns ideas into outcomes.

NR

Rebecca Bennett. No public record found.

3 / 4

Tom Kean Jr.. Center for Effective Lawmaking rates him Meets Expectations for the 118th Congress (LES 2.0 of 2.01, benchmark 1.46). His Fire Grants and Safety Act was enacted through another measure.

Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack member page, GovTrack, H.R. 4090 (118th Congress)

NR

Seamus Patrick O'Toole. No public record found.

Showing up

Does the basic work of the job.

NR

Rebecca Bennett. No public record found.

1 / 4

Tom Kean Jr.. Missed 154 of 1,917 roll call votes, 8.0 percent, from January 2023 to September 2026, including all 142 votes from March 17 to June 29, 2026.

Source: GovTrack, missed votes

NR

Seamus Patrick O'Toole. No public record found.

Constituent service

Solves problems for the people they represent.

NR

Rebecca Bennett. No public record found.

3 / 4

Tom Kean Jr.. Runs a district office in Lebanon and monthly satellite hours in five towns staffed by caseworkers; reports more than 100,000 constituent letters answered and ten telephone town halls in his first term.

Sources: Office site, Office Locations, Office site press release, June 2025

NR

Seamus Patrick O'Toole. No public record found.

Coalition building

Wins support beyond their own faction.

NR

Rebecca Bennett. No public record found.

4 / 4

Tom Kean Jr.. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 0.31886 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 75 of 436, in the top quarter.

Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores, 118th Congress

NR

Seamus Patrick O'Toole. No public record found.

Stewardship of public money

Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.

NR

Rebecca Bennett. No public record found.

NR

Tom Kean Jr.. No public record found.

NR

Seamus Patrick O'Toole. No public record found.

How to read this

Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.

A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.

No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.

Questions

Who should I vote for in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District?

Tom Kean Jr. has the strongest record in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District. Tom Kean Jr. scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Rebecca Bennett at 56, as of October 9, 2026. Tom Kean Jr.'s highest marks are relevant experience and coalition building. Rebecca Bennett's highest marks are integrity and communication. Seamus Patrick O'Toole (2 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.

Who is running in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District in 2026?

Rebecca Bennett (Democratic), Tom Kean Jr. (Republican, incumbent), Seamus Patrick O'Toole (Independent). The general election is November 3, 2026.

Is Rebecca Bennett a good candidate for Congress?

Rebecca Bennett scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 58 of 100, qualifications 55 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.

Is Tom Kean Jr. a good candidate for Congress?

Tom Kean Jr. scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 69 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.

Is Seamus Patrick O'Toole a good candidate for Congress?

Seamus Patrick O'Toole has public evidence on 2 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.

How is the strongest record decided?

The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.

More on this race: every New Jersey race scored, and the New Jersey 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.