Rep. Tom Kean Jr. has returned to Congress after a four-month absence, during which he received treatment for depression. Kean, a Republican representing New Jersey's 7th congressional district, revealed his diagnosis and explained that he had been hospitalized for an extended period.
The district Kean represents is considered competitive. In the 2024 elections, Donald Trump won the district by a narrow margin of one point. Ahead of Kean's return, Democratic candidates vying for the seat had increasingly focused on his absence during the midterm election cycle.
Rebecca Bennett, who secured the Democratic primary and is set to challenge Kean in November, stated in an interview with Politico that while she wishes him well and hopes for his recovery, she intends to hold him accountable for his voting record. Bennett specifically referenced Kean's vote in favor of a significant tax and spending bill, which passed the House by a slim 218-214 vote. She also criticized his absence during key legislative moments, including votes related to funding for the Gateway Tunnel project and the potential establishment of an ICE detention facility in Roxbury.