State PBA endorses Kean for re-election

The New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association has endorsed Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield) for a third term in Congress, backing the Republican incumbent in his closely watched 7th-district race against Democrat Rebecca Bennett.

The State PBA’s 2026 congressional endorsements include five incumbents — three Republicans and two Democrats — and three Republican challengers seeking to unseat Democratic members of Congress.

In addition to Kean, the union is backing Reps. Jeff Van Drew (R-Dennis) in the 2nd district and Chris Smith (R-Manchester) in the 4th, along with Democratic Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly) in the 5th and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-Long Branch) in the 6th.

The PBA also endorsed Michael McGuire, a retired New York City police officer who is challenging freshman Rep. Herb Conaway (D-Delran) in the 3rd district.

In the 10th district, the union supports Republican Carmen Bucco over Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-Newark), while Randolph Councilman Joe Hathaway earned the PBA’s endorsement in his bid to unseat Rep. Analilia Mejia (D-Glen Ridge) in the 11th district.

The endorsements give Republicans the police union’s backing in six of New Jersey’s twelve congressional districts, compared with two for Democrats.

The State PBA declined to make endorsements in four congressional races, including the re-election bids of Reps. Donald Norcross (D-Camden) in the 1st district, Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City) in the 8th, and Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon) in the 9th.

The union also stayed neutral in the open 12th district race to succeed retiring Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing).

In New Jersey’s U.S. Senate contest, the State PBA is sitting on the sidelines, declining to endorse either incumbent Democrat Cory Booker or Republican Justin Murphy, a former Tabernacle deputy mayor.

The endorsements underscore the union’s willingness to cross party lines to support incumbents while backing only Republicans in races where it supports challengers.