Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski is making his last stand in a tough re-election campaign against Republican challenger Tom Kean Jr.

It is a rematch of the 2020 election. Malinowski says he has embraced the underdog role in this election. He says he was written off a few months ago as a sure-to-lose candidate. But he says he now believes his strong ground game of door-knocking volunteers and personal outreach to voters will help him win.

“The winner is going to be the one who works the hardest in the final few days,” Malinowski says. “This is the biggest challenge that we have faced.:

Malinowski represents New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District. The race is being watched closely nationwide to see if Democrats in a swing district can withstand a potential Red Wave. The congressman says his own polling shows the race is a dead heat.

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“Neck and neck, tied, toss-up could go either way. The future of our democracy in the balance,” he says.

Those close races could also include the 3rd Congressional District, where Democratic Rep. Andy Kim is facing Republican Bob Healey, and a rematch race in North Jersey's 5th Congressional District between Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer and Republican Frank Pallotta.

Malinowski spent the last 72 hours before the race campaigning door-to-door to meet potential voters.

“I want to meet everybody. Democrats, independents, Republicans, make my case,” he says.

Malinowski says he is determined to push until the final hours with in-person voter outreach and the volunteers that he claims have knocked on more doors than any Democratic campaign in the nation.

I think this is the best campaign we've ever run,” he says.

The 2020 race between Malinowski and Kean was also very close. Malinowski won by just 1.2%. The boundaries of the district were redrawn in 2021 after the Census results came in which added thousands of registered Republican voters.