RAHWAY, New Jersey — Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. used his only televised debate against Democrat Rebecca Bennett to distance himself from President Donald Trump on several issues important to New Jersey voters, including immigration enforcement and the Gateway rail tunnel.
Kean said he opposes a proposed ICE detention facility in Roxbury Township, declaring, “My focus is to make sure we don’t have an ICE facility in Roxbury.” The position puts him at odds with the Trump administration, which revived plans for the facility after previously abandoning them. Bennett said she had opposed the project earlier, while noting that Kean had not previously taken a public position.
Kean also defended the $16 billion Gateway Tunnel project connecting New Jersey and New York, which Trump has criticized and tried to block from receiving federal funding. “I will challenge anybody who gets in my way, including this president,” Kean said.
The debate also covered Iran, taxes, Israel and artificial intelligence. Kean defended U.S. military operations against Iran, while Bennett argued the conflict has increased costs and made the country less secure.
The 7th District is among New Jersey’s most competitive House races. Trump carried it by about one point in 2024, while Democrat Mikie Sherrill carried it in the 2025 gubernatorial election.
Sources
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