Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. Vanishes From Congress for Months Amid Health Concerns

Rep. Tom Kean Jr. has vanished from Capitol Hill.

The New Jersey Republican, who has held his seat representing the state's 7th congressional district since 2023, has been nowhere to be found since March 5 and has skipped all public appearances.

Party officials are growing anxious—both about the congressman's health and about what his prolonged absence could mean for the GOP's grip on the House majority.

"No one knows where he is and, from my understanding, the speaker doesn't know what the exact situation is. Just as there's no room for error in the congressional majority, there's no room for error in this congressional race," Doug Heye, a former aide to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, told the Washington Post.

In late April, Kean released a statement referencing "a personal medical issue." By May, he offered slightly more information to the New Jersey Globe, though still light on specifics.

"My doctors are confident that I'm on the road to a full recovery," he said. "I understand the need for public transparency, and I appreciate the support of my constituents. I anticipate that in the next couple of weeks, I'll return to voting and to the campaign trail."

The congressman faces a New Jersey Republican primary on June 2 with no opposition.

Rebecca Bennett, a leading Democratic candidate potentially challenging Kean for the seat come November, weighed in on his absence with the Washington Post. She expressed hope for his recovery while criticizing his overall approach to office.

"I certainly would have been more transparent about this if I was our member of Congress," Bennett said. "And I think we do need to have rules about disclosure, both from a financial perspective as well as if you're going to have some sort of extended absence. He is never around, he's not on the ground, he doesn't meet with voters, and he doesn't meet with constituents. And so, to me, this is just an extension of how he's been in office from the beginning."