Rebecca Bennett, now the Democratic nominee for the 7th congressional district, can expect quite a bit of Democratic consolidation behind her campaign in the coming days, with one major endorsement arriving this morning.
EMILYs List, the well-funded national group dedicated to supporting female Democratic candidates, announced this morning that it will support Bennett’s effort to unseat Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield).
“Rebecca will bring the fighting spirit that has defined her career to Congress to make life more affordable for hardworking families and put New Jerseyans first,” EMILYs List President Jessica Mackler said in a statement. “EMILYs List is proud to endorse this Majority Maker as we work to take back this critical seat and the U.S. House majority.”
EMILYs List will frequently get involved in primary elections, too, but typically not when there are multiple credible Democratic women in the same race. That’s precisely what happened in the 7th district, where Bennett’s closest competitor was ICU doctor Tina Shah.
Four of New Jersey’s 12 current members of Congress are women, an all-time high for the state. A Bennett victory in November would add yet another woman to those ranks, but since Adam Hamawy won yesterday’s primary to succeed retiring Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing), the overall gender breakdown may remain the same.