Republican Congressman Tom Kean Jr. has been absent from Washington and his New Jersey district since early March 2026 due to an undisclosed medical issue. He last appeared publicly on March 5, when he cast a House floor vote, but has missed over 100 roll call votes since then [1, 2, 3, 4].
Kean ran unopposed in the June 2 Republican primary for New Jersey's 7th Congressional District and is expected to secure the nomination easily [1, 2, 4]. President Donald Trump endorsed Kean on social media just before the primary, calling him a "tireless advocate" who "will never let you down" and praising his work on border security, economic growth, and supporting the military [1, 2].
Kean’s office stated in late April and again in mid-May that he was recovering and expected to return to work within weeks. Kean himself said, "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." He added, "I anticipate that in the next couple of weeks, I'll return to voting and to the campaign trail" [1, 3]. Throughout his absence, Kean continued virtual work and maintained social media activity while staff represented him at local events [2, 4].
House Speaker Mike Johnson said in May he has spoken to Kean but respects his privacy on health details. "He’s had a medical issue, and he’s gonna be fully transparent and disclose all that," Johnson said, adding, "I don’t even know the details, and I have to respect that." [4]
The Democratic primary on June 2 saw Rebecca Bennett, a former US Navy helicopter pilot, win a crowded field with about 47.2% of the vote [3, 4]. Bennett campaigned on economic issues and sharply criticized Kean’s prolonged absence. "You are failing us, and you do not deserve to represent us in Washington," she said [3].
The November 2026 general election between Kean and Bennett is viewed as a key battleground and toss-up seat [1, 3, 4]. Kean remains focused on recovery and plans to transition from virtual to in-person work soon, according to his statements [3].
