NEW YORK — New Jersey Democrats have picked Navy veteran Rebecca Bennett to take on Republican incumbent Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in the NJ-07 district that is expected to be a national marquee matchup in the fall midterms.

Bennett, a health care executive and retired helicopter pilot, ran away with the race in a crowded Democratic primary to take on Kean, who says he’s battling an undisclosed ailment and hasn’t been seen in public in three months.

Bennett, 39, whose inspirational biography mirrors that of Gov. Mikie Sherill, slammed Kean for rubberstamping President Donald Trump’s unpopular second-term agenda.

“Career politician Tom Kean Jr. is a coward, and he has repeatedly failed the communities in our district,” Bennett said.

Democrats believe they can flip the suburban swing district in the fall midterms with Trump’s approval ratings at historic low levels as they seek to retake control of the House from the GOP.

Kean, the scion of Garden State political royalty whose father was a popular governor, countered by asserting that he’s “more energized than ever.”

But the two-term incumbent with a famous name offered no further clue about when he might return to work or what health issue he is battling.

Kean was last seen in public in early March and has missed key votes before resurfacing to make a few phone calls to GOP allies last month.

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