Rep. Tom Kean Jr., a second-term Republican from New Jersey, is expected to return to Congress on Tuesday after an absence of nearly four months. Kean, 57, has been away from Washington dealing with an unspecified medical condition that has kept him from his duties since March 5, when he last voted in the House.
His office stated in April that Kean was dealing with a personal medical issue and that his doctors anticipated his recovery. While Kean's spokesman has promised transparency regarding the reasons for his absence, the congressman has not yet provided further details. He recently declined an interview with The New York Times at his home, stating he would speak to them later.
The prolonged absence has complicated matters for House Republican leadership, which holds a narrow 218-212 majority. Speaker Mike Johnson and other GOP leaders have stated they are in contact with Kean but deferred to him for explanations. Donald Trump has endorsed Kean's reelection campaign, without addressing his absence.
Kean represents a competitive battleground district that includes President Donald Trump's Bedminster golf club. He has missed more than 100 votes in Congress this year. The seat has changed hands in the last two midterm elections, with Kean defeating Democrat Tom Malinowski in 2022. Malinowski had unseated Republican Leonard Lance in 2018. Kean is set to face Democratic nominee Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, in November.
Kean hails from a prominent New Jersey political family. His lineage of public service extends back 250 years, with ancestors serving in state leadership roles. His great-grandfather was a senator, his grandfather a congressman, and his father, Tom Kean Sr., is a former two-term governor of New Jersey.