Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in the 7th District

In the most closely watched House race in the state, Democratic Rebecca Bennett outraised Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R) more than 4-to-1 in the most recent quarter, but a slower burn rate and reserves Kean built in 2025 still lend the incumbent a cash edge in the race’s final days.

Bennett, who is hoping to oust the two-term incumbent in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, reported raising about $3.9 million between July 1 and Sept. 30 in a quarterly filing to the Federal Election Commission. That total trounced the $974,612 Kean reported bringing in over the same period.

Though Kean’s fundraising lagged that of his opponent, Kean’s third-quarter haul still represents an increase from prior quarters, when a prolonged absence kept his fundraising down. Kean said he was being treated for depression during this time.

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The latest figures leave Bennett’s cycle-wide fundraising significantly higher than Kean’s. The former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot has raised around $8.2 million this cycle, to the incumbent’s $5.9 million.

But Bennet has consistently spent more money and faster. That trend continued in the third quarter, when Bennett’s campaign poured more than $3.6 million into the contest.

Kean spent only $2.3 million that quarter, and his spending for the cycle totaled less than $3.8 million, to Bennett’s less than $6.5 million.

He entered the final month of the race with more money banked. He reported a little under $2.3 million in reserves, compared to the roughly $1.7 million Bennett had.

Kean, a former state lawmaker, was first elected to Congress in 2022, flipping the seat for the GOP. His campaign for reelection has dinged Bennett for her ties to a hospital system that has been flagged for poor quality control and denial of care. Democrats have attacked Kean for missing votes in Congress during his absence earlier this year.

Though Bennet has consistently outraised Kean, the incumbent has benefitted far more from outside spending than his opponent.

The congressman has seen at least $4.8 million in independent expenditures boosting him or dinging Bennett. The overwhelming share of that money came in the form of ad buys from Land I Love PAC.

The group was funded with nearly $4.2 million from the Congressional Leadership Fund, House Republicans’ super PAC, and poured about that much money into media placements in the district before the fund pulled support for Kean earlier this month.

He’s also been the beneficiary of $460,408 in digital ads and mailers from Elon Musk’s America PAC, $38,976 in digital ads from the Trump-aligned super PAC Maga Inc., and $160,576 in text messaging from No Going Back PAC, another Trump-aligned group.

Bennett’s outside support has been far slimmer.

The Battleground Alliance PAC put $156,810 behind canvassing in the 7th District. The Progressive Turnout Project and Growing Economic Opportunities, a PAC with ties to laborers’ unions, have put $129,502 and $16,334 in for canvassing to boost Bennett.

American Bridge 21st Century has spent $174,708 on billboards and other media boosting Bennett.

Election Day is Nov. 3.