SOMERVILLE – Tom Malinowski knows something about CD-7 and it’s not all good.

He was elected there in 2018 and won again in 2020 against Republican Tom Kean Jr.

But he lost to Kean in 2022.

There were two things of note in 2022. One was that redistricting made the district more Republican-leaning. The other was that probably because of that, national Democratic organizations failed to give Malinowski, who was an incumbent after all, the financial help he really needed.

Now, Sue Altman is challenging Kean and polls show the race within two points. And the same thing is happening – or not happening – regarding financial assistance.

After appearing at a weekend rally here to hype Altman, Malinowski said he hoped – even half-expected – the challenger to get some help from Washington. Specifically, that means either the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee or the House Majority PAC.

Of course, any help must come soon.

Altman has not been shy about not getting national support. When both candidates were asked at a recent debate if they were getting help from their respective national parties, Altman responded with a “thumbs down.”

That problem notwithstanding, Malinowski was upbeat about Altman and dismissive of Kean.

“He’s a national joke – literally,” Malinowski told about 100 people gathered in a downtown plaza. Malinowski said the only national attention Kean has gotten in Washington has been for standing silent in an elevator when a reporter tried to ask him questions.

This is, naturally, a presidential year. But with New Jersey considered a “safe state” for Kamala Harris, Malinowski urged the crowd to focus on CD-7, which covers at least parts of Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties.

“We have to focus on flipping this seat in the seventh district,” he said.

Altman was asked about the latest Kean ad – a hit piece that referred to her as “radical Sue.”  It accused her of, among other things, wanting to decriminalize such dangerous drugs as heroin and fentanyl.

Altman denies that. But she took some solace from her opponent’s highly negative piece.

She described Kean’s approach as “throwing spaghetti against the wall,” and added:

“To me it signals that they are nervous.”