Rep. Tom Kean Jr. is set to return to the Capitol on June 30, marking the end of a nearly four-month congressional absence that saw him skip more than 100 votes, his chief of staff confirmed Thursday.
The New Jersey Republican last cast a vote on March 5. His office attributed the extended disappearance to a "personal medical issue" but has released no additional details about his condition or the reasons for the lengthy hiatus.
Despite the absence from Washington, Kean's office maintained an active social media presence while he remained out of public view. House Speaker Mike Johnson said in May that Kean had contacted him in April and that the congressman would eventually disclose information about his condition, framing the matter as a personal privacy issue.
"He's had a medical issue, and he's going to be fully transparent and disclose all that," Johnson told reporters last month. The speaker reiterated last week that he had "encouraged Tom to be transparent" about his situation.
Kean is in the midst of a re-election campaign heading into November's general election, where he will face Democrat Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot and healthcare executive. President Trump weighed in on June 1 with a Truth Social endorsement, writing that Kean was "working tirelessly" and had his "Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election."
Johnson dismissed concerns that the absence could affect Kean's electoral prospects, saying last month that he expects the congressman to "get re-elected" and that lawmakers look forward to his return.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "A four-month absence with minimal explanation raises fair questions, but the political establishment seems far more interested in moving past this than actually drilling down on what happened."
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