SPRINGFIELD - A DJ was playing rock music, cops and firemen were displaying their wares, and just about everyone was eating ice cream.

A slice of Americana on a summer evening, indeed, but more officially, this was National Night Out, a community event that began 40 years ago. The idea is simple: build a relationship among residents and police by bringing both groups together in a positive setting. It all takes place the first Tuesday in August.

This is a small town thing at heart. So there were National Night Out events in towns throughout New Jersey.

Any gathering of people, of course, attracts political candidates. And so it was in CD-7 spanning at least parts of Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties.

Democratic candidate Rebecca Bennett made four of these events. Springfield was stop number three. She was also in Raritan, Westfield and Summit

This is not the time for substantive political discussion.

Bennett simply introduced herself to people and, if needed, reminded them she's running for Congress and of her military background. She was a Navy helicopter pilot.

All this is necessary. CD-7 is one of the most-watched congressional races in the nation. To political observers, that is. Average people may not be tuned in that closely. Unfortunate, but true.

One person with whom Bennett spoke said the price of everything is just too high and that he would support anyone who can do something about that. Bennett and other Dems contend that tariffs - and now the war in Iran - are increasing costs across the board.

Chris Capodice, a Democratic township committeeman, said he liked Benentt's history of service,  both in the military and in the healthcare profession.

"It resonates with me and my family for sure," he said.

Capodice is squarely in Bennett's corner, but he did acknowledge that over the years the township has had a good working relationship with Kean, who represented the town in the state Senate before moving up to the House.

Reinforcing that point, Kean had a table at the event and a sign telling one and all that the congressman recently secured $700,000 in federal money for township police.

Bennett did not interact with those at Kean's table.

The congressman, himself, was not in Springfield.

His social media page revealed that Kean attended National Night Out events in a number of towns, including Readington and Long Hill.

Kean's office declined to say in advance what events he planned to attend. Questions about his public schedule posed to both his district and DC office Tuesday morning were ignored.