GOP congressman sort of reappears after going AWOL for months, missing over 100 votes

Tom Kean Jr. — one of former New Jersey Gov. Thomas Kean's twin sons — secured a seat in Congress in 2022 after serving for two decades as a Republican state senator. He is now running for re-election to represent the Garden State's 7th Congressional District.

While Kean, whom President Donald Trump endorsed last May and touted as a "Tremendous Advocate of our America First Agenda," has urged constituents in social media posts to vote for him, he hasn't voted on their behalf in Congress since March 5, missing over 100 roll-call votes.

'I understand the need for public transparency.'

Amid mounting speculation about his disappearance from work and public life, the 57-year-old Republican released a statement in late April thanking his "constituents and colleagues for their patience" as he addresses "a personal medical issue."

"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," said Kean. "I expect to return to a full schedule and be at 100 percent. I take my responsibilities seriously and have a strong record of showing up and delivering, which makes this absence all the more difficult."

Neither Kean nor his campaign have revealed the nature of the medical issue. His office did not respond to Blaze News' request for comment.

"Nobody knows what's going on," Mary Melfoi, the Republican clerk of Hunterdon County, told Politico. "I've never seen a lid on anything tighter in my life."

"Everybody's hopeful that whatever's going on is being addressed and he's going to come back," continued Melfoi. "But we're not going around saying 'Who do you think we should replace him with?'"

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Serhiy Morgunov/Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images

Although apparently still actively trading stocks, Kean wasn't seen or heard from for nearly another month after issuing the April statement. This continued absence prompted Democrats to increasingly like their chances of flipping the seat — an apparent "toss-up" even before he took a leave of absence — that Kean took in the last election with 51.8% of the vote.

Zoe Heath, Democrat chair of Sussex County, said that some of her fellow travelers figure Kean is doomed to lose, noting that "some Democrats are being incredibly cocky about this."

Tina Shah, an anti-ICE liberal supported by the Hindu America PAC and Indian American IMPACT who is among the Democrats vying to face off with Kean, evidenced a willingness to politically exploit the Republican's absence.

"What we are being assured is that his team is carrying the torch," Shah said during a debate earlier this month. "But we elected Tom Kean Jr., not his team."

Kean finally piped up last week, reaching out to a handful of Republican allies and telling the New Jersey Globe in a May 21 phone interview, "My doctors are confident that I’m on the road to a full recovery."

The congressman claimed that his medical issue would not affect his cognitive health, that he is not expected to suffer any long-term effects or chronic health complications, and that he plans to "return to voting and to the campaign trail" sometime in the next couple of weeks.

"I understand the need for public transparency, and I appreciate the support of my constituents," added Kean.

The Globe reported that Kean also spoke last week with Hunterdon County GOP Chairman Gabe Plumer, who said the congressman "sounds great and energized."

Sussex County Republican Chairman Joseph LaBarbera also received a call from the absent congressman last week.

"I asked him if he needed anything," LaBarbera told the Times. The chairman recalled Kean replying, "Just your prayers."

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