Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ) has remained absent from Congress for more than two months as questions continue surrounding the New Jersey Republican’s health and return to Capitol Hill.
Kean, who represents New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, has not cast a vote in the House since March 5, according to congressional voting records.
His office previously confirmed the congressman is dealing with what it described as 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,” he added while discussing his condition and expected return.
Kean also said he expects to return to a “full schedule” and be “100 percent” once doctors clear him to resume congressional duties.
The 57-year-old Republican is serving his second term in Congress after defeating former Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) in 2022.
He later won reelection in 2024 in one of the country’s most competitive swing districts, where President Donald Trump narrowly carried the district at the top of the ticket.
Kean’s absence has become increasingly significant for Republicans because the GOP currently controls the House with a razor-thin majority.
Reports this week indicated some Republican lawmakers and congressional aides privately expressed frustration regarding the lack of clarity surrounding Kean’s recovery timeline and return date.
House Speaker Mike Johnson previously said he had spoken directly with Kean and expected him to return “100 percent very soon.”
Kean’s office has continued insisting there is no major cause for public concern despite the lengthy absence from House voting and committee activity.
“There’s absolutely nothing to worry about,” a spokesperson for the congressman said while responding to questions about his condition and recovery.
According to congressional records, Kean has now missed dozens of roll-call votes during the ongoing absence from Capitol Hill.
His office said congressional staff members have continued managing constituent services and legislative responsibilities while the congressman recovers away from Washington, per Trending Politics.
Kean comes from one of New Jersey’s best-known political families. His father, Thomas Kean Sr., served as governor of New Jersey from 1982 through 1990.
Thomas Kean Sr. later chaired the national 9/11 Commission that investigated the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks against the United States.
Democrats are expected to heavily target New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District during the 2026 midterm elections as they attempt to regain control of the House of Representatives.
Kean’s district is considered one of the most competitive Republican-held seats in the country and has frequently changed party control in recent election cycles.
The extended absence has also renewed broader discussions in Washington involving transparency surrounding lawmakers’ health issues and lengthy absences from congressional duties.
As of Thursday evening, Kean’s office had not provided a specific date for when the congressman plans to return to voting on the House floor.
