Rep. Tom Kean Jr. says recovery will be complete amid absence from Congress

Rep. Tom Kean Jr.'s unexplained absence has stretched past a month, leaving New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District without its vote in dozens of House roll calls. Kean said he is dealing with a “personal medical issue” and expects to make a complete recovery, but he still did not say why he has been away from Washington or when he will return.

Kean last cast a House vote on March 5, 2026. Since then, he has missed dozens of roll-call votes, including one count that put the number at 37 missed votes beginning March 16 and another that said he had missed nearly 50. For a member representing New Jersey’s most competitive congressional seat, each missed day carries added weight, because the district has repeatedly shown it can swing on narrow margins and close turnout.

In a statement posted Monday, April 27, Kean thanked constituents and colleagues for their patience and said his doctors continue to assure him that his recovery will be complete and that he will be back on the job very soon. His office had previously said he was expected to be “totally fine” and back on a full schedule soon, but it has not disclosed the nature of the medical issue or given a firm return date.

The silence has reached Capitol Hill. Reps. Jeff Van Drew and Chris Smith, both New Jersey Republicans, said they had tried to reach Kean by calls and texts and had received no response. Van Drew and Smith described the lack of contact as “complete radio silence,” underscoring how little information colleagues have had while Kean has been absent from Congress.

The missing votes matter beyond one district. Kean’s seat, New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, is one of the few in the state where every vote can shape the balance of power, and his absence leaves voters without a direct voice in roll calls, committee work and day-to-day negotiations that define the House. In 2024, Kean defeated Democrat Sue Altman by 52.5% to 45.7%, a margin of 27,674 votes, a result that showed how closely divided the district remains.

The episode fits a familiar congressional problem: when a lawmaker’s health affects attendance, transparency becomes part of representation itself. Without a clearer explanation or return date, constituents are left to watch their member disappear from the floor while the House count moves on without him.