Who Is Representative Tom Kean, and Why Has He Been Missing From Congress for Months?

(SeaPRwire) –   New Jersey’s Republican Representative Tom Kean has been largely absent for almost three months—since March 5, he hasn’t appeared in public, set foot on the House floor, or cast any votes. 

During this period, Kean has shared minimal details about his absence. On April 27, he released a statement noting he was dealing with “a personal medical issue” and that “my doctors keep reassuring me my recovery will be full and I’ll return to the job I love shortly,” but provided no additional specifics. 

“I want to express my gratitude to my constituents and colleagues for their patience,” he stated then, emphasizing that “I take my duties very seriously.”

Last week, Kean gave his first interview since his extended absence began, telling the New Jersey Globe he would return to work “in the next few weeks.”

“My doctors are confident I’m making progress toward a full recovery,” Kean shared in the phone interview. “I recognize the importance of public transparency and value the support from my constituents.”

TIME has contacted Kean’s office to request a comment.

Besides being part of the Republicans’ current narrow House majority, Kean holds a swing seat in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District—ranked by the Cook Political Report as one of the most competitive in this year’s high-stakes midterm elections. His seat may be key to the GOP’s effort to keep control of the House, making his absence a major worry for the party.

Kean, who faces no opposition in the June 2 Republican primary for his seat, confirmed in last week’s Globe interview that he’s still seeking reelection. He told the New Jersey publication he stays in daily touch with his congressional office and keeps up with developments in Congress and his district.

Kean has also recently spoken with several Republican officials in his state. The New York Times reported he called Carlos Santos, Union County’s GOP chair, and Joe LaBarbera, Sussex County’s GOP chair, last week. 

When LaBarbera asked what Kean needed, the congressman replied, “just your prayers,” per the Times. Santos told the outlet Kean “sounded healthy.” 

The Times also noted that Kean called other county leaders. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson, for his part, said Wednesday he had a call with Kean “a few weeks back.”

However, Kean’s fellow lawmakers on Capitol Hill seem unaware of the details surrounding his absence. 

“I don’t even know the details, and I respect that. It’s about members’ personal privacy regarding whatever issues they’re handling,” Johnson stated.

In addition to being absent from Congress for over 75 days, NOTUS reported last week that Kean’s New Jersey neighbors haven’t seen him and noted his home has been dark for several weeks.

But beyond the recent calls Kean has made to fellow Republicans and the media, NOTUS reported he signed a congressional stock transaction form last Friday—per the outlet, this document indicated he made five trades in April. 

NOTUS also noted that Kean made stock trades before releasing the public statement where he mentioned he was dealing with a “personal medical issue.”

All Democratic primary candidates vying for Kean’s seat have commented on his absence. Some have been more outspoken than others, publicly criticizing him for his lack of transparency ahead of what’s expected to be a tight general election. 

“If you missed work, you’d tell your boss—and Tom Kean Jr.’s boss is the people. He didn’t tell us. That’s all there is to it. And while he hasn’t shown up for work, he’s raised over $600,000 just from corporate PACs. That tells you who his real boss is,” said Democratic candidate Michael Roth. “It’s time we have a congressmember who actually shows up.”

Tina Shah, another Democratic primary candidate, criticized Kean for letting his team handle communications instead of speaking directly. 

“We’re told his team is keeping things going, but we elected Tom Kean Jr.—not his team,” she stated. 

Rebecca Bennett, another candidate aiming to challenge Kean and flip his seat, has taken a more measured approach when discussing his absence, pointing out that he’s long been a somewhat reserved politician who shuns the spotlight. 

“He’s never present, he doesn’t engage with the community, he doesn’t meet with voters or constituents,” she told The Washington Post. “So to me, this is just a continuation of how he’s acted since taking office.”

Kean won his House seat in 2022 by a margin of less than 3 percentage points, flipping it from Democratic control. He expanded that lead in 2024, securing reelection by over 5 points. 

Kean—son of Thomas Howard Kean, a former two-term New Jersey governor, and grandson of Robert Kean, a long-serving former New Jersey congressman—previously served as minority leader in the state Senate and as a state Assembly member before being elected to Congress.