U.S. Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (R-7) of Westfield has won reelection in New Jersey’s most competitive congressional district.

Kean defeated Democratic challenger Sue Altman, who ran a spirited campaign against the reclusive Republican.

Altman’s Somerset and Union incursions didn’t go deep enough to reverse Kean margins in Hunterdon, Morris, and Warren in a district where Republicans outnumber Democrats by 20K votes.

From InsiderNJ reporter Fred Snowflack, in Altman’s headquarters at 10:15 p.m.:

With now 82 percent of the vote counted, Tom Kean has moved out to a lead of about 15,000 votes.

This may be too much for Altman to overcome.

It was.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) issued the following statement on Congressman Tom Kean Jr.s’ victory in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional district:

“Congratulations to Rep. Tom Kean Jr. on his re-election. Voters know Rep. Kean is a hardworking member who has delivered millions of dollars to the district and will continue to do so in his next term. His bipartisan bonafides have proven effective as he continues to work to deliver for New Jersey families.” – NRCC Spokeswoman Savannah Viar