Super PAC that backed Shah is now spending to help Bennett

314 Action Fund, a national super PAC that supports Democratic candidates with backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, is spending $465,000 to help Rebecca Bennett, a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, in her bid to unseat two-term Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield) in New Jersey’s 7th district.

The investment comes four months after 314 Action endorsed Shah, an intensive care physician, in the Democratic primary against Bennett.

The organization said its New Jersey spending is part of a $7.6 million general election push across six competitive House districts, following $14.5 million invested in Democratic primaries nationwide.

Its largest general election commitment is $3.65 million for California pediatrician Richard Pan. Other beneficiaries include physician Amish Shah in Arizona, engineer Christina Bohannan in Iowa, former Rep. Elaine Luria in Virginia and former state legislator Manny Rutinel in Colorado.

314 Action says it has invested more than $22 million in candidates this election cycle to STEM candidates, a record for the decade-old organization. It also reports directing another $6.6 million to campaigns through fundraising efforts, bringing its claimed overall impact to nearly $30 million.

In the primary, the group touted a poll showing Shah with a 46%-43% lead over Kean, within the margin of error, but held back that Bennett was running one point better than Shah against Kean in the same poll.