For the third consecutive election cycle, Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) has earned the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – and this time, he’s done so as an incumbent congressman.
“Tom has been a steadfast advocate for policies that promote economic growth and support the vitality of our business community,” said Nick Vaugh, the director of government affairs for the Chamber’s Eastern Regional Office. “His dedication to cutting bureaucratic red tape, addressing labor shortages, and fostering innovation aligns perfectly with our mission to make New Jersey a more competitive state for business. We are confident that Tom’s leadership will continue to drive prosperity for the Seventh District and beyond.”
Kean is the first New Jersey politician to receive the Chamber’s backing this cycle.
During his first congressional campaign in 2020, Kean – then a New Jersey state senator – got the endorsement of the Chamber against freshman Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-Ringoes). The Chamber’s preference for ousting Malinowski came in spite of the fact that it also supported Reps. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown) and Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff), two other swing-district Democratic congressmen, that same year.
Kean lost narrowly to Malinowski, but came back to run again in 2022 in the redrawn 7th district. Once again receiving the Chamber’s backing, Kean defeated Malinowski after a very expensive campaign.
This year, Kean is locked in a tough battle for re-election against Democrat Sue Altman, the former state director of the progressive Working Families Party.
The Chamber’s endorsement of Kean cites his pro-business record in Congress, but Kean has also managed to attract a notable amount of support from the state’s labor unions. The congressman has endorsements from several unions representing policemen, firefighters, and building trades workers; the state AFL-CIO, meanwhile, decided to take a pass on the race rather than endorse Altman.