Tina Shah raises massive $260,000 in first day as a NJ-7 candidate

In her first 24 hours as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Congress in New Jersey’s 7th district, Tina Shah raised an extraordinary $260,328 for her bid to unseat Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield).

A practicing physician who served as a health official in the Obama and Biden administrations, Shah announced her candidacy yesterday morning.

“I’m humbled by the outpouring of support our campaign has received in our first 24 hours – it’s a sign that New Jerseyans are hungry for change and ready to elect someone who will work to lower costs and expand access to healthcare,” said Shah. “While Congressman Tom Kean Jr. votes to cut Medicaid in Washington, I’ve dedicated my entire life to serving my patients and my community. That contrast is why voters are responding so strongly to my campaign, and it’s why we are going to flip this seat next November.”

Shah appears to have the highest day-one fundraising haul in the cycle so far in the state.  Former Biden SBA official Michael Roth raised $175,000 on his first day, with businessman Brian Varela bringing in $153,000 and former Navy helicopter pilot Rebecca Bennett with $125,000 on her first day.

The 7th district is widely viewed as one of the most competitive House races in the nation for the 2026 midterm elections.

Under its current boundaries, the district voted for Joe Biden in 2020 before narrowly flipping to Donald Trump in 2024;  Kean, a former longtime state senator and son of former Gov. Thomas H. Kean, first won the district in 2022, unseating a two-term Democratic incumbent, and held it in 2024 after Democrats spent millions trying to beat him.