A House Republican from a key swing district is once again sidelined, and GOP leaders are feeling the squeeze.
Rep. Tom Kean Jr., a New Jersey Republican, will miss votes again this week due to a medical issue, his office told the New Jersey Globe. But more than a month into his absence, there are still no details about what’s keeping him away or when he’ll return.
Harrison Neely, a spokesman for Kean, said there’s no update beyond last week’s statement that the congressman is “expected to be totally fine” and will be “back to a full schedule soon.”
Kean hasn’t cast a vote since March 5 and has missed 37 roll-call votes since March 16. His office initially said after the first week of missed votes that he would be back “soon,” but that timeline has stretched with little explanation.
He’s also been out of public view. Recent photos posted to his social media appear to predate his medical issue, and he hasn’t made in-person appearances. While his office continues to roll out legislation and send letters to officials in President Donald Trump’s administration, it’s unclear how involved Kean has been behind the scenes.
Credit: Office of Congressman Tom Kean Jr.
His absence is hitting at a critical time for House Republicans, who are already working with a razor-thin majority. headed into the midterm elections. Leadership has had to navigate tight vote margins, including a recent failed resolution to end U.S. involvement in Iran that fell short by just one vote.
The numbers are about to get even tighter. Democrat Analilia Mejia, who won an April 16 special election in a district bordering Kean’s, is set to be sworn in. That will bring the House breakdown to 218 Republicans and 214 Democrats — but with Kean out, Republicans are effectively down a vote.
That’s a problem for a party trying to push through a high-stakes agenda with almost no room for error.
Kean’s absence also carries longer-term political ramifications. He represents New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, a battleground seat in suburban North and Central Jersey that Democrats have long targeted. Four well-funded Democrats are already competing for the chance to challenge him in November, viewing the race as one of their top pickup opportunities.
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