Rep. Tom Kean Jr. says he’ll return to Congress in weeks after absence
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Representative Tom Kean Jr. (RN.J.) said Thursday that he expects to return to Congress “within the next few weeks” after missing 100 consecutive votes in the House over an extended period due to what his office described only as a “personal health matter.”
“My doctors are confident I am on the path to a full recovery,” Kean, 57, told the New Jersey Globe, his first public statement since leaving Capitol Hill in March.
“I understand the need for public transparency and appreciate the support of my constituents,” he added. “I anticipate returning to voting and campaigning within the next few weeks.”
Kean last voted on March 5 and has missed every House poll since then, according to GovTrack. His absence drew more attention because Republicans hold a slim majority in the House of Representatives and Kean represents one of the nation’s most competitive congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
TOM KEAN JR.’S LONG ABSENCE IS PUTTING PRESSURE ON A SLIM MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE.
Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., is running for a third House term in 2026 after fending off Democratic challengers in previous election cycles. (Getty Images)
His office has repeatedly refused to release details about the illness; He said only that the congressman is focused on recovery and is expected to return “soon.” Fox News Digital has reached out to a representative for Kean for additional comment.
Last week, Kean’s father, former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean Sr., told NJ.com that his son was recovering from a “serious illness.”
“You can’t say for sure, but their best guess is he’ll be out in two or three weeks,” Kean Sr. said, referring to the doctors treating his son. “When you have a serious illness, you’re not going to be 100% recovered the day you come back. You’ll be able to do things, but you’ll improve slowly.”
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New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District GOP candidate Tom Kean Jr. speaks at his election night party on November 8, 2022 in Basking Ridge, NJ. (Stefan Jeremiah/AP)
Kean Sr. He also said doctors expected his son to make a full recovery but refused to discuss the diagnosis.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters this week that he had spoken with Kean recently but was unaware of the details of the congressman’s condition.
“We expect him to return here soon. He has a medical issue,” Johnson said Wednesday. “I don’t even know the details.”
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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill, while House Majority Speaker Tom Emmer, R-Minn. is listening. (Meryem Zuhaib/AP)
The absence has become a growing political issue in New Jersey as Democrats target Kean’s swing district. While Kean entered the June 2 Republican primary unopposed, several Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination.
Earlier this month, a senior aide to Kean told The New York Times: “There are no cameras where Tom is.”
Kean adviser Harrison Neely said this week that the congressman is committed to re-election.
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“What I can tell you is that the congressman is dealing with a personal health issue. He is focused on getting better,” Neely told the New York Post.
Fox News Digital’s Adam Pack contributed to this report.
