Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield), still in his first year representing New Jersey’s 7th congressional district, raised a huge $860,000 in the second quarter of 2023. According to his campaign, that’s the largest haul ever pulled in by a freshman New Jersey representative in their second fundraising quarter.
The new congressman also scored big in Q1, with his $831,000 total beating the record set in 2017 by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) for fundraising by a first-quarter freshman. Kean now has $1.47 million in the bank ahead of what’s likely to be a competitive 2024 general election campaign in New Jersey’s only true swing district.
“Thank you to everyone who has stepped up to support our campaign,” Kean said in a statement. “Whether it’s championing fiscal responsibility or fighting for smart investments in America’s infrastructure, I will continue to advocate for New Jersey families.”
A former minority leader in the New Jersey State Senate, Kean has had a number of years to perfect his congressional fundraising skills. In 2020, he raised $3.9 million in his campaign against Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-Ringoes); he narrowly lost that race, but came back to win two years later after raising another $4.5 million.
Malinowski decided against a third rematch this year, so Kean will be facing a new Democratic foe. One declared candidate, former Working Families Party state director Sue Altman, raised more than $200,000 in her first month as a candidate, while Roselle Park Mayor Joe Signorello III hasn’t yet announced his fundraising total for the U.S. Senate campaign he’s set to abandon in favor of a congressional run.
Several other candidates, among them ex-State Department official Jason Blazakis, are also looking at the race. But it remains to be seen whether any of them can financially keep up with Kean, whose fundraising may increase further once campaign season truly starts next year.
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