Representative Thomas Kean Jr., a first-term Republican, was re-elected on Tuesday after a hard-fought race in New Jersey against a Democratic challenger, Sue Altman, according to The Associated Press.
Mr. Kean, 56, had been locked in one of the country’s most closely watched battles for re-election as Republicans fought to retain a majority in the House of Representatives. Similarly contested races in New York and California were expected to help determine which party controls the House when lawmakers take the oath of office in January.
“We need to stand with our allies — Israel and so many others. That is essential for the future of this world,” Mr. Kean told supporters who gathered in Basking Ridge, N.J., to celebrate his victory.
“America must continue to lead as a beacon of freedom and of democracy worldwide.”
Ms. Altman, 42, raised slightly more in campaign contributions than Mr. Kean. But Mr. Kean, the namesake of a popular former New Jersey governor, benefited from a flurry of outside spending.
Political action committees run by the House Republicans’ campaign arm and by Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, spent roughly $8.6 million on the race, about double the amount contributed by national Democratic organizations.
Before entering the race for the Seventh Congressional District more than a year ago, Ms. Altman, a former teacher and professional basketball player, led the Working Families alliance, a left-leaning political organizing group.
Mr. Kean and his campaign emphasized the brand of liberal politics that Ms. Altman stood for while leading Working Families and highlighted a comment she made in 2020 on social media that referred to “those of us working on #DefundThePolice in Jersey.”
The criticism appeared to resonate with voters, who for two months have been inundated with television ads that described Ms. Altman as a “radical liberal.”
Ms. Altman had focused on her support for abortion rights, and the risks posed to women in states where the procedure has been abolished or limited since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
“We are living through a deeply difficult, stressful, extraordinary time,” Ms. Altman told supporters late Tuesday. “We have had to reach deep in and really find what we are made of over and over again.”
“I am proud of this movement, even as we struggle together once again,” she added. “We will find a way back to beat Tom Kean Jr. next time around.”
Like most other Republicans in competitive races, Mr. Kean had focused heavily on immigration policy.
Mauricio Aljure, a Colombian immigrant who lives in High Bridge, N.J., said he voted Tuesday for Mr. Kean because he wanted a candidate who would support policies that end illegal border crossings.
“I did everything the right way,” said Mr. Aljure, 61, a computer programmer, adding that others should too.
The sprawling district stretches from the state’s border with Pennsylvania through the rolling hills of horse country to small cities at New Jersey’s eastern edge. It is one of the country’s most affluent and well-educated districts, split nearly evenly between Republicans and Democrats. President Biden beat Donald J. Trump there by four points in 2020, but two years later Mr. Kean beat the Democratic incumbent, Tom Malinowski, by about three points.
Matthew Moench, the mayor of Bridgewater, N.J., attributed Mr. Kean’s victory to his prioritization of constituent services during his first two years in office.
“He really understands and cares about the people of the district,” Mr. Moench said at Mr. Kean’s victory party.
Other races for open seats in New Jersey are expected to create a congressional delegation that is more diverse and younger.
Representative Andy Kim, a Democrat, won the race for a Senate seat Robert Menendez held until stepping down in August after being convicted of taking bribes. Mr. Kim, 42, will become the first Korean American in the Senate and its third-youngest member.
LaMonica McIver, 38, a Democrat and former Newark City Council president, was elected to a two-year term in the House, according to The A.P., replacing Donald Payne Jr., who died in April at 65.
Ms. McIver, who is Black, said she hoped to bring an understanding of the practical challenges facing working families in New Jersey to the Capitol.
“There’s not a lot of young mamas there who are trying to tell you what a gallon of milk costs, what food is costing, how child care is impacting them,” said Ms. McIver, who has an 8-year-old daughter.
“I think bringing that freshness to it — that’s really what I’m excited about.”
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