Tina Shah, one of the eight Democrats hoping to defeat Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) next year, raised over $600,000 during her first quarter in the race, becoming one of the field’s leading candidates.
The Indian American physician raised more from donors during the 3rd quarter than any other Democrat in the 7th district – or any other non-incumbent candidate anywhere in New Jersey – has raised in a single quarter so far this cycle, New jersey Globe reported.
One of Shah’s competitors in the 7th district, businessman Brian Varela, raised $694,000 during his first quarter in the race, but $400,000 of that came from his own pockets, the newspaper noted.
“I am honored to see the outpouring of support our campaign has received,” Shah said in a statement. “We deserve better than Tom Kean Jr. We can lower costs for working families, protect reproductive rights, and ensure everyone has access to the healthcare they need. New Jerseyans are demanding leaders who will put patients and people ahead of industry profits. Our campaign is fighting to serve hardworking families, not special interests and corporations; that is why I will flip NJ-07 in 2026.”
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$260,000, or close to one-half, of Shah’s haul came within the first 24 hours of her campaign, which also represents the largest one-day fundraising total of any New Jersey candidate this cycle, according to the Globe.
A practicing physician who held roles in both the Obama and Biden administrations, Shah is on her first run for public office; she mulled a potential campaign against Kean in 2024, but ultimately decided not to get in.
If elected, Shah would be the first member of New Jersey’s growing South Asian community to represent the state in Congress.
“I’m running for Congress because America is in critical condition and enough is enough,” said Shah announcing her bid on July 1. “As a physician I took an oath to first do no harm, but when I go to work in the Intensive Care Unit, I’m up against a system that is designed to make patients broke and sicker, prioritize insurance companies’ profits above all else, and burn out a workforce trying to save lives.”
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Four years ago, Shah became a senior advisor to the U.S. Surgeon General and developed a national strategy to address worker burnout and departures in health care in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Shah grew up in New Jersey and is a practicing physician triple board-certified in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, and critical care medicine.
She has spent her career fighting for her patients’ lives in the ICU and working to find solutions to improve patient outcomes in both the private sector and at the highest levels of government, according to her profile.
“My goal is to demonstrate that I am the right candidate, and I intend to outperform everybody on day one,” Shah said. “People know I can beat Kean.”