In the politically volatile landscape of New Jersey's 7th congressional district, Democratic hopeful Rebecca Bennett has come under scrutiny for erasing a trail of social media posts that celebrated progressive icons, amid her current campaign efforts to cultivate a moderate image. The Cook Political Report has tagged the district's upcoming race as "Lean Republican," and Bennett has ostensibly recalibrated her public stance to resonate with the district's centrist electorate.
Fox News uncovered that Bennett's Twitter account, recently rebranded from @BigRedBecks to @RebeccaForNJ07, had scrubbed several tweets that could potentially clash with her centrist messaging. Among the deleted tweets were positive remarks about Senator Elizabeth Warren and former Vice President Kamala Harris, including a 2019 post where Bennett expressed her admiration for Warren, and a 2020 tweet cheering on Harris when she was selected as Joe Biden's running mate. Bennett's digital clean-up didn't spare her commendation of New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and her support for Congressman Jason Crow during President Trump's first impeachment trial.
The candidate's pivot comes as no surprise in an election cycle that has seen candidates across the political spectrum attempt to align their public personas with the perceived preferences of their constituents. Bennett's campaign, when probed by Fox News about the post deletions, did not provide a direct explanation. Her senior advisor, Dan Bryan, instead criticized the attention as an attack from conservative groups fearful of Bennett's potential to unseat Congressman Tom Kean in November and overturn the district.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) fired back, labeling Bennett as someone who is "desperately trying to run away from her past" and branding her agenda as radical and out of touch. NRCC spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole's statement underscored a perceived transparency issue, casting doubt on Bennett's trustworthiness in the eyes of voters.
This isn't the district's first encounter with a Democratic candidate's social media history becoming a focal point. In the previous election cycle, Sue Altman faced criticism for removing posts critical of law enforcement. With a tight House majority leaning Republican at 220-215, the battle for NJ-07 will likely garner significant national focus as both parties vie for control in the 2026 midterm elections.
