Rebecca Bennett, the Democratic nominee for New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District, stated in a February campaign event audio that she ceased attending church due to discomfort around individuals who supported former President Donald Trump. The remarks, obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, have surfaced as Bennett seeks to unseat Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in a district rated a toss-up by the Cook Political Report.
A District Divided
Trump carried the Seventh District in 2020 with 49% of the vote compared to Kamala Harris's 48%, making Bennett's comments potentially fraught in a swing area. Bennett, a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, has positioned herself as a moderate capable of appealing to voters who "might not vote for a traditional Democrat."
At the February event, a voter asked Bennett about her use of the term "patriot," prompting her to describe leaving her Presbyterian church after the 2016 election. "I was still in the military at the time, stationed somewhere pretty conservative," she said. "I couldn't sit in this church full of people who voted for Trump. They don't get to decide what Christianity looks like, just like they don't get to decide what patriotism is. You can't wrap yourself in the flag while murdering Americans in broad daylight."
Progressive Ties Draw Scrutiny
Bennett has faced questions about her ideological flexibility after audio revealed her endorsing Analilia Mejia, a far-left Democrat who won a nearby special election primary. Mejia, formerly political director for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), co-led an organization advocating "community safety without police" and called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Bennett said she would accept an endorsement from Mejia, calling her "the nominee" after her primary win.
Bennett's campaign has also highlighted her donations to groups like Swing Left, which criticized Trump's immigration policies and opposed permanent extensions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Prior to announcing her campaign, Bennett deleted social media posts made under the handle "BigRedBecks" that praised Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
Kean's campaign has not publicly commented on Bennett's remarks. A spokesperson for Bennett reiterated that she "is the candidate Republicans fear most in November," according to a statement provided to the Free Beacon.