Rep. Tom Kean Jr. has remained absent from Congress for more than two months as questions continue to swirl around the New Jersey Republican’s health and return to Capitol Hill.
Kean, who represents New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, has not cast a House vote since March 5. His office has said the congressman is dealing with a “personal medical issue,” though few additional details have been released publicly.
“I want to thank my constituents and colleagues for their patience as I address a personal medical issue,” Kean said in a statement released last month. “My doctors continue to assure me that my recovery will be complete and that I will be back to the job I love very soon. I expect to return to a full schedule and be at 100 percent.”
The 57-year-old Republican is serving his second term in Congress after defeating Democrat Tom Malinowski in 2022. He won reelection in 2024 in one of the nation’s most competitive swing districts, with President Donald Trump narrowly carrying the district at the top of the ticket.
The extended absence has created growing concern among House Republicans as the GOP works with a razor-thin majority in Washington. Reports this week indicated some Republican lawmakers and aides privately expressed frustration over the lack of clarity surrounding Kean’s timeline for returning to Congress.
Speaker Mike Johnson previously said he had spoken with Kean and expected him to return “100 percent very soon.”
Kean’s office has continued insisting there is no cause for alarm.
“There’s absolutely nothing to worry about,” a spokesperson told reporters this week, adding that the Congressman is expected to return to a full schedule once doctors clear him.
According to congressional voting records, Kean has now missed dozens of roll-call votes during his absence. His office says staff members have continued handling constituent services and legislative work while he recovers.
The congressman comes from one of New Jersey’s most prominent political families. His father, former Gov. Thomas Kean Sr., served as governor from 1982 through 1990 and later chaired the 9/11 Commission.
Democrats are expected to heavily target Kean’s seat in the midterms as they look to claw back control of the House.
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