New Jersey Globe/Rider University hosts the 2026 Democratic Congressional primary debate in New Jersey’s 7th District, one of the most competitive districts in the nation Four candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination to take on two-term Republican congressman Tom Kean, Jr.: – Former Navy pilot Rebecca Bennett – Former Biden administration official who worked at the Small Business Administration Michael Roth – ICU physician and healthcare expert Dr. Tina Shah – Entrepreneur and first-generation Colombian immigrant Brian Varela David Wildstein, the editor of the New Jersey Globe, moderated the debate, along with Joey Fox, the New Jersey Globe Washington reporter, and Micah Rasmussen, the director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University.

Candidates: Dr. Tina Shah. I’m an ICU physician and a health care policy expert. I am running for Congress because America is in critical condition. A few weeks ago, I took care of a gentleman, Mr. S., who came in with a life-threatening complication of diabetes. He has a full-time job but couldn’t afford his medication. No one should require the ICU because basic medical care is too expensive. But that’s what we see under Tom Kean Jr. and Donald Trump. I was appointed by President Obama and served in three White House administrations. At the Department of Veterans Affairs, I expanded access to primary care for veterans. And right here in New Jersey, I took on the insurance companies and helped to pass legislation that stops them from denying essential medical care. In business, I helped to grow a small startup into a multibillion-dollar business. That’s the kind of leadership that we deserve here in CD-7. And as your member of Congress, I will fight Trump to make sure that we protect our democracy, that we lower costs, that we restore our shrinking middle class, and that we fix our health care system. Now, I fight for the lives of CD-7 residents right here in Rahway Hospital. And just like I fight here, I’m ready to take that fight to D.C., because we deserve better than Tom Kean Jr. Thank you. … Brian Varela: I’m running to unseat Tom Kean Jr. because what this moment demands right now is someone who is a fighter. Donald Trump and his cronies have changed the rules of the game, and we need someone who knows how to fight. I am someone who has fought my entire life. I fought to pay my way through school when my parents couldn’t afford it. I fought to keep my family afloat when my mom got sick and my parents went out of business. I fought to raise my younger brother when my mom passed two years later. He was 13. That was hard. I fought to build a business from scratch during COVID, and I built it into one of the fastest-growing companies in the country. And I want to continue that fight. Over the past few years, I fought to expand the Democratic Party, especially in the red-leaning parts of the state. And that’s the kind of fight that we need right now. I want to take that fight down to D.C. I want to fight for affordability because the squeeze on working-class and middle-class families is too much right now. I want to fight for Medicare for All because the fact that we pay the most among developed nations per capita, but somehow have one of the worst qualities of care among developed nations, to me, is unacceptable. And last, but definitely not least, I want to fight to defend our democracy. We’ve got an administration that is off the rails. We’ve got the Trump family enriching themselves to the tune of north of a billion dollars. And as a first-generation Colombian American, I am appalled by the attacks that we’re seeing in our immigrant communities. That’s why I’m proud to say that I was the first candidate to [unclear] impeachment. And we need to dismantle Trump’s ICE. Thank you. … Rebecca Bennett: I’m a former Navy pilot and test pilot, health care leader, and mom of two. My life is the story of the American dream. I was able to go to college because I earned an ROTC scholarship, and I worked two jobs on top of that to pay the bills my scholarship didn’t cover. I used the GI Bill for my MBA. My husband and I bought our house with a VA loan. I am where I am today because of programs like that, because of the promise of America. And I believe in the future of this country. I believe we can create a future where every kid has a fair shot at the American dream, just like I did; where you can work hard and build the life you want to be able to build; and where everybody feels safe in their community. That is not what is happening in this country right now. This Trump administration is destroying our democracy. They are enriching themselves, and they are making our problems worse. Tom Kean Jr. is a coward, and he is complicit. We are going to hold him accountable in November. But here’s the thing: We can’t just be anti-Trump and anti-[unclear]. We have to be for something. We have to solve the problems we are all facing in our everyday lives. That means tackling our cost-of-living crisis, making our health care system work for all of us, and protecting our rights and freedoms. I’ve put together a robust policy platform based on what I’ve heard most from all of you over the last year. So I want to thank you all so much for being out here tonight, and I’m looking forward to the discussion. Thank you. … Michael Roth: In times of crisis, I step up. When millions of small businesses were shut down during COVID, I stepped into the Small Business Administration, oversaw the Paycheck Protection Program, and saved one million jobs right here in New Jersey. When Donald Trump fought to take funding away from Planned Parenthood clinics and immigrant-owned small businesses, I fought back, and I won and delivered millions. Tonight, we are in crisis again. You’re going to hear from all of the candidates tonight saying that they will fight Trump and lower costs. I ask you tonight to listen for the proof versus the D.C. talking point, because we deserve somebody who is going to show up, who is going to listen. I have spent my whole career fighting against the status quo and showing up in my hometown district and delivering. I am proud to be endorsed by five Indivisible chapters across this district because they know that I will show up for the people. And together, we can build a government, an economy, and a politics that works for you, the people.
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