Republican Congressman Tom Kean Missing for Over 80 Days: Timeline

Representative Tom Kean has not been seen in more than 80 days, raising questions about the transparency around his prolonged absence in Congress.

The prolonged absence of Kean, a New Jersey Republican, raises serious questions about representation for his district, which has gone more than two months without visible engagement from its congressman.

The situation has prompted growing concern among constituents and colleagues about transparency and continuity of service.

His district, which spans the suburbs of Northern New Jersey, is also among the most competitive across the country, and Democrats are contesting it as a top target ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Republican President Donald Trump narrowly carried the seat by about 1 point in the 2024 election, but Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill also won the seat in her gubernatorial race last year. Kean won reelection by about 5 points in 2024.

Newsweek reached out to Kean's office for comment via email.

March 5: Kean's Last Vote in the House

Kean's latest known public appearance was on March 5, when he cast his most recent vote in the House of Representatives in support of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act.

Congress then recessed for a week, but Kean did not return when the House reconvened on March 16.

March 20: Kean Office Says He Is Addressing ‘Health Issue'

Kean's office disclosed the New Jersey Republican's absence in a statement to The New Jersey Globe.

“The congressman is addressing a personal health matter. He will be returning to a full regular schedule soon,” a Kean spokesperson told the publication.

April 22: New Jersey Republicans Say ‘Radio Silence'

Over the next month, Kean's prolonged absence garnered increasing national attention due to a lack of answers about where he was.

His office had only said he is addressing a health issue without providing more details about that health issue or providing a clear date as to when he would be returning to Washington.

This has fueled concerns about representation for the district, as well as questions about his reelection as he has been unable to appear at fundraisers or campaign events in the closely divided district amid his absence. By April 22, he had missed more than 50 votes.

Two Republicans from New Jersey, Representatives Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew, told Politico they had called and texted Kean due to their concerns about his health but had not heard back. Van Drew said it had been “radio silence.”

Kean consultant Harrison Neely told the outlet at the time that the congressman would “be back on a regular full schedule very soon.”

April 23: Johnson Says He Spoke With Kean

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, told New Jersey Spotlight News he had spoken to Kean via phone on April 23.

“He is attending to a personal health matter and expects to be back to 100% very soon. Tom is one of the most dedicated and hardest working members of Congress, and I am grateful for all he does and will continue to do to serve New Jerseyans and our country,” he told the publication.

Representative Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, told the publication he was worried about his colleague.

“They're keeping this really tight-lipped. Members have reached out and haven't heard back,” he said.

April 27: Kean Releases Statement Amid Scrutiny

Amid growing scrutiny, Kean's campaign released a statement about his absence on April 27. He said his doctors have assured him his recovery would be complete and that he would soon return to his job. He expected a 100 percent recovery.

“I take my responsibilities seriously and have a strong record of showing up and delivering, which makes this absence all the more difficult.

“I am especially proud of my Congressional team, who have kept constituent services and legislative work moving forward without interruption, and my political team for ensuring the campaign continues to run strong,” he wrote.

May 12: Democratic Rivals Discuss Kean's Health in Debate

During a May 12 Democratic primary debate, the Democrats running in a contentious primary to take Kean on in November were asked about their health. Candidates said they hope he is healthy but called for greater communication.

“At the end of the day, you're a public servant. While I don't think you need to be putting out your own personal medical history out there, you have at the very last a responsibility to be communicating with your constituents and with your district,” said candidate Brian Varela.

May 14: Scrutiny Intensifies Amid Report

By mid-May, Kean had still not been sighted or made his return to Congress. An article from The New York Times reflected growing public questions about his whereabouts. In an interview with The Times, his Chief of Staff Dan Scharfenberger said Kean was “dealing with a personal health condition.”

When asked why the congressman had not been seen, Scharfenberger said, “There's no cameras where Tom is,” without elaborating.

Neely said Kean would be “fine” and back to a “full schedule soon.”

Around that same time, the Morris County Chamber of Commerce updated a May 28 event to state that Kean would no longer be appearing due to his health concerns.

May 15: Kean Sr. Gives Update

Tom Kean Sr., the father of the congressman and a former New Jersey governor, told CNN on May 15 he is under a doctor's care.

“It took a real illness to knock him out,” he said. “This won't linger. It's not some kind of disease that's going to incapacitate him in the future. The consensus is that he will be 100% OK.”

Still, he did not offer more details about the illness, saying that would be up to his son.

May 21: NOTUS Reports Neighbors Haven't Seen Kean

NOTUS on May 21 reported that neighbors have not seen Kean or his family at home over recent weeks.

May 21: Kean Says He Expects ‘Full Recovery'

Kean told The New Jersey Globe in a “lengthy” phone interview that he anticipates he would return to Congress and the campaign trail “in the next couple of weeks.” He said he still plans to run for reelection, despite his lengthy absence.

“My doctors are confident that I'm on the road to a full recovery,” Kean said. “I understand the need for public transparency, and I appreciate the support of my constituents.”

Hunterdon County GOP Chairman Gabe Plumer said he had also heard from the congressman and that his calls should “put an end to the rumor mill.”

Who Is Tom Kean?

Kean is serving his second term, where he sits on the House Energy and Commerce and Foreign Affairs Committees, according to his official biography on the U.S. House of Representatives website.

Kean began his career in public service as an appointee to the Environmental Protection Agency under President George H.W. Bush-where he met his wife, Rhonda-and later worked as a legislative staffer in the Washington office of New Jersey Congressman Bob Franks.

He was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 2001 and to the New Jersey Senate two years later, where he served 14 years as Republican leader.

He was first elected to his swing district in the 2022 elections and won reelection in 2024. His father served as the governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990 and would later chair the 9/11 Commission.

Kean's Absence Looms Over House Race

Kean's absence has become a flash point in the House race for New Jersey's 7th District.

Four Democrats are running in the primary, including former Small Business Administration official Michael Roth, former Navy helicopter pilot Rebecca Bennett, businessman Brian Varela and ICU doctor Tina Shah.

Critiques have centered around a lack of communication around Kean’s illness to constituents.

“If you were missing work, you would tell your boss, and Tom Kean Jr.'s boss is the people. He did not tell us. That's it. And in the time that he did not show up for work, he has raised more than $600,000 just from corporate PACs alone. That tells you who his boss is,” Roth told the New Jersey Mirror. “It is time that we get a member of Congress who will show up.”

Polling on the race has not been made public, but prediction markets favor Democrats, who had a 78 percent chance on Kalshi and a 74 percent chance on Polymarket of flipping the battleground district, as of Tuesday morning.

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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 10:33 AM.