Rep. Tom Kean Jr. declares victory in his reelection fight at the Olde Mill Inn in Basking Ridge on Nov. 5, 2024. (Hal Brown for New Jersey Monitor)
In New Jersey’s most closely watched congressional race, a triumphant U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R) defeated Democrat Sue Altman and vowed to return to Congress for a second term to focus on “values that make our nation great.”
Even before the Associated Press had called the race in the 7th Congressional District for Kean, the congressman addressed jubilant supporters shortly after 10:30 p.m. at the Olde Mill Inn in Basking Ridge, shouting: “We won!” His beaming wife, Rhonda, and daughter, Meredith, stood at his side and his father, former Gov. Tom Kean Sr., watched from the crowd.
“We must address inflation, and we must make life more affordable for the families by cutting wasteful government spending and securing American energy independence,” Kean said as the packed ballroom cheered. “This will help drive down prices, it will create jobs, and it will strengthen our nation’s resilience.”
He continued his brief speech by echoing several favorite GOP talking points — supporting police officers, securing the southern border, and supporting Israel.
“That is essential for the future of this world. America must continue to lead as a beacon of freedom and of democracy worldwide,” Kean said.
He then waded into the crowd of supporters and embraced his father, who called him “the right candidate with the right issues.”
“He just made me very, very proud, not only tonight, but he does that every day and every year, and he took a lot of attacks this year and came out stronger than ever, won by more than he’s ever won by in the past,” Kean Sr. said.
The Associated Press called the race for Kean at about midnight.
The candidates went into Election Day at a near tie in polls.
And while Kean had an edge because the district skews red — Republicans outnumber Democrats in the district by almost 20,000 — unaffiliated voters outnumber both major parties, with 222,521 not signing on to any party, the state’s latest voter registration data shows. The district also boasts the most registered voters overall, with 639,106, of any of New Jersey’s 12 congressional districts.
Other supporters at the Basking Ridge party acknowledged the bump the presidential race gave Kean and other down-ballot candidates.
“Because it’s a presidential election, it juiced turnout across the board, for both Republican and Democratic voters,” said Assemblyman Michael Inganamort (R-Morris).
Just after the polls closed at 8 p.m., state GOP Chair Bob Hugin agreed that New Jersey’s final turnout tally would likely be “wonderful.”
“Last year we had a statewide election, the entire state Senate, entire Assembly, and 27% of registered voters came out and voted,” Hugin said. “27% is so bad for democracy.”
A spokesman for Kean Jr. said he hadn’t yet talked with Altman. Kean Jr.’s father, a popular two-term governor, called her “a fun candidate.”
“She worked hard, and she was a good candidate and very likable, I found, when I saw her — except for some of those ads,” the former governor said. “So she’s got a future, I’m sure she does.”
Proud of the team
In front of a somber crowd at the Bridgewater Manor, Sue Altman said she wasn’t giving up yet — despite the tens of thousands of votes between her and her opponent.
“We have held politically powerful people accountable in ways that have never happened in New Jersey history, and all of these things are hard and difficult,” she said in her speech just before 11 p.m. “But I am proud of this movement even as we struggle together once again.”
Altman stressed she was not conceding and wanted to wait for more votes from Somerset and Morris counties, as well as vote-by-mail ballots.
Altman, the former head of the New Jersey Working Families Alliance, sought to unseat Kean by claiming his Republican policies didn’t align with the district. In her Tuesday night speech, she told supporters that one day, the 7th District would flip to the Democratic Party once again.
“I was a competitive athlete. You know how to take wins, you know how to take losses,” she told reporters. “And given this is likely a loss, I’m extremely proud of our team. I’m comforted by the fact that I truly feel like we left it all on the floor.”
Earlier Tuesday night at the Bridgewater Manor, music blared as Altman greeted guests, who brought bouquets of flowers and words of encouragement.
The initial mood was high as several points through the night, preliminary voting totals occasionally showed Altman with a lead. Guests sporting Kamala Harris shirts and hats kept their eyes glued to MSNBC.
Speakers including Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-11) took the stage every half hour to hype up Altman and thank all the volunteers. The campaign knocked on 103,000 doors and made over 300,000 phone calls.
But as the night progressed, it became clear that a flood of votes were coming in for Kean. And around 10 p.m. while news announcers revealed more states being called for former President Donald Trump, people began leaving the festivities.
“I don’t feel good about this,” one woman said as she left the party early.
A career politician
A Livingston native, Kean was first elected to the House in 2022, unseating Democrat Tom Malinowski.
Kean, 56, had spent the previous two decades in the New Jersey Legislature, including one term in the Assembly and five terms in the Senate. He ran for a U.S. Senate seat in 2006 but lost to former Sen. Bob Menendez, who was convicted in July in an international bribery scheme.
The district — the state’s second wealthiest congressional district — covers Hunterdon and Warren counties and parts of Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Union counties.
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