Countdown to the Primary

Just over three weeks out, here’s the momentum powering this campaign.

We closed out Q1 at the end of March, and I want to walk you through where this campaign stands as we head into the final stretch before the primary.

The headline number is over $700,000. That’s what we raised in the first quarter of this year – our strongest quarter yet, and more than any Democratic challenger has raised in NJ-07 in the first quarter of an election year. We’ve now raised more than $2.65 million since launching, with $1.4 million cash on hand heading into the June 2 primary. That’s with $0 of corporate PAC money and $0 in self-funding.

The number I keep coming back to, though, is 93%. That’s the percent of our donors who’ve given less than $100. More than 13,000 people have put money behind this campaign because they believe something better is possible for this district. That’s what a people-powered coalition looks like, and it’s how we’re going to win the primary in June and then flip this seat in November.

On the Air

Three weeks ago, we released our first ad of the primary. “For Them” explains why I’m running. It’s the same answer I’ve given at every doorstep, forum, and meet-and-greet since we launched this campaign. The morning after the 2024 election, I knew I had to do what I’ve always done: go to work and fight back.

And recently, VoteVets came on the air with “Fighters Edge”. The ad features a good friend of mine and a former squadronmate with whom I deployed to the Middle East and served alongside as a test pilot.

We built the coalitions and raised the resources that made this possible, and now it’s showing up on screens across the district to meet people where they are. This is how we’re going to win in June and then again in November.

Support That Keeps Growing

Speaking of coalitions, our team has become much broader and deeper since our last update.

The most striking new endorsement came earlier this month, when one of my former primary opponents, climate scientist Megan O’Rourke, backed our campaign. Megan ran a strong race and said after speaking with the remaining candidates, she believes our team has the best chance to beat Tom Kean Jr. in November. She joins Somerset County Commissioner Sara Sooy, another former primary candidate, who endorsed us in January.

Organized labor has continued to back this campaign. Communications Workers of America District 1 endorsed our campaign earlier this month, joining the Public Alliance NJ – a coalition of federal union and non-profit workers organized in response to the Trump administration’s cuts to the public sector workforce, and the Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association (FMBA), which came on board in March.

We’ve also been awarded the Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate distinction for our commitment to gun safety and earned the endorsement of Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, a fellow Air Force veteran on the House Armed Services Committee, and one of only two Democratic women veterans currently serving in the House.

Closer to home, four of the six county Democratic committees in NJ-07 have now endorsed our campaign, representing more than 80 percent of the primary electorate. Senate President Nick Scutari and more than 50 Union County elected officials announced their support earlier this month. A long list of Somerset County leaders endorsed in late March, including the County Sheriff, the County Clerk, four county commissioners, and the chair of the county party. This brings our total number of local endorsements to over 100, more than anyone else in this race.

On the Ground

Since our last update, the campaign has logged more than 100,000 voter contact attempts across the district. That number represents thousands of conversations from every corner of NJ-07, with voters who are paying attention and are ready to make a change.

We’ve been canvassing across the district, sending our amazing volunteers into communities across all six counties. Every door we knock is a chance to introduce our message to voters as we continue to communicate with them across media, and the reception has been strong. People across the district are hungry for a candidate who will actually show up for them, and we’re showing up loud and proud.

We’ve also been intentional about reaching voters on their own terms. When people can’t make it to a traditional campaign event, we go to them – showing up at playgrounds, local breweries, and community spaces for informal meet-and-greets that let voters engage with our campaign in a way that fits their lives. These conversations have been some of the most energizing of the cycle, and they’re a reminder that building a winning coalition means being present everywhere, not just in the places campaigns usually go.

I’ve also been at the table at forums across NJ-07 since our last update, including the Indivisible Somerset County forum and an AAPI forum in Summit. These conversations have only deepened my conviction that voters of this district want a leader with experience and a genuine commitment to the work.

The energy from our volunteers is what makes this all possible. Hundreds of people have given their weekends, their evenings, and their energy to this campaign because they believe in what we’re building. We’re turning that energy into action, and the momentum is only going to grow between now and June 2.

The Final Stretch

The primary is June 2, less than a month away. The resources are there, our coalition is strong, and we have everything we need to flip this seat. I know that, together, we are up for the task.

The work between now and June depends on you – sharing this update with a friend, showing up to an event, signing up to volunteer, chipping in if you can, or requesting a lawn sign.

Thank you for being part of this fight.

– Rebecca

This campaign is powered by people like you — neighbors who believe we can build a better future for every family in New Jersey’s 7th District.

Every dollar you contribute helps us reach more communities, share our vision, and build the coalition needed to deliver real change for the people of this district

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Whether it’s $5 or $500, your support makes a difference. Together, we can flip NJ-07 and fight for the working families of this district.

Paid for by Rebecca Bennett for Congress. Rebecca Bennett is a former member of the United States Navy and current member of the Air National Guard. Use of her military rank, job titles, and photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of the Navy or the Department of Defense or any other department, agency or service of the United States Government