Brian Varela is a Leftist running to unseat Republican Thomas Kean, Jr. in New Jersey's 7th Congressional district. Varela threw his hat in the ring back in April, joining a crowded Democratic field.
The New Jersey Globe reported on Varela's entering the race, saying the ex-Forward Party leader moved to Morris County after his failed 2022 campaign against Democrat Rep. Rob Menendez.
Varela, a small business owner and self-described grassroots organizer, moved from North Bergen to Morris County’s Washington Township in 2023, putting him squarely within the boundaries of the competitive 7th congressional district. And he said in his announcement that he has what it takes to make Kean, a top target for Democrats in 2026, into an ex-congressman.
“I’m not running for a title – I’m running to fight back,” Varela said. “I’ve lived the struggles that New Jersey families face every day. I’ve made impossible choices, raised my younger brother after my mom passed, and built a nationally recognized business during one of the toughest economic crises in modern history. I know what it’s like to struggle, to sacrifice, and to win – and that’s the fight I’ll take to Congress.”
Democrats have no shortage of candidates in the 7th district, which spans a variety of suburbs and small downs in Central and North Jersey; two other contenders are already in the race, and at least three more are having serious discussions about running. Varela’s entrance further expands the Democratic field, with the primary still more than a year away. (At this same point in the 2024 cycle, not one 7th district Democrat had yet launched a campaign.)
The 36-year-old Varela, the son of Colombian immigrants and a New Jersey native, has worn a number of different hats over the course of his nascent political career.
With the midterms on the horizon, it's vital Republicans hold on to every House seat they can, and it's important to know how radical Varela is.
In October, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) reported on Varela's radical past and his dangerous agenda.
According to the NRCC, Varela's unearthed social media posts showed he accused President Trump of "literal language of Hitler’s Mein Kampf" and called Republicans "unapologetically misinformed/disinformed."
At the time, NRCC Spokeswoman Maureen O'Toole said of Varela, "Dangerous Democrat Brian Varela’s top priority is fearmongering about those he disagrees with and stoking violence against them. That’s unacceptable and makes him unfit to represent New Jersey in Washington."
Varela also believes "left-wing populism calls out corporate greed, uplifts workers, and fights for fairness" while right-wing populism "scapegoats, divides, and preys on fear ."
He also showed disdain for Republican voters, saying they "bow to a corrupt, unethical child's whims."
Now, new polling shows that while the race is still unsettled, Varela may have the momentum, even over the Democratic Party's preferred candidate, healthcare executive Rebecca Bennett.
With no name recognition and limited familiarity with the candidates, some 77 percent of voters remain undecided, and no Democrat was earning more than five percent on the initial ballot. But when candidate bios were given to voters, support for Varela jumped to 13 percent. On the other hand, Rebecca Bennett's support drops from five percent to three percent. In a two-way race, Varela leds Bennett 42 to 25 percent.
The polling memo shows that 41 percent of respondents believed Varela "best represents [them] and [their] interests in Congress".
Varela must believe he's got the momentum to win this race, because he was the first to call for the impeachment of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem after the ICE-invovled shooting in Minneapolis.
Some interesting NJ-7 news: @Varela4NJ is calling for impeaching DHS Secretary Kristi Noem after yesterday’s Minneapolis shooting.
— Joey Fox (@joeymdfox) January 8, 2026
Don’t think I’ve seen any other NJ pol make that call yet; notable that it’s coming first from a swing-district candidate.https://t.co/P19sdlGHMG
“Leaders should not be impeached for acts of a single agent, but Noem’s lies yesterday fit a disturbing and well-documented pattern,” Varela said today in a statement reported by the New Jersey Globe. “Congress has both the moral and constitutional obligation to act to protect American citizens from the dangers of ICE under Kristi Noem’s leadership.”
Varela's polling bump may be modest, but it's telling. In a district Democrats are desperate to flip, he's the candidate gaining traction, and he's a Leftist who traffics in incendiary rhetoric and who is already calling for the impeachment of Cabinet officials to score political points. If this is where the momentum is building, it tells voters everything they need to know about the direction in which the Democratic Party is heading, and why Republican voters can't take this race lightly.