It has now been well over two months since Rep. Tom Kean Jr. last cast a vote in Congress—and there’s still no clear answer to where he’s been.
When called, Kean’s office continues to offer the same explanation—that the two-term Republican from New Jersey’s 7th District is dealing with “a personal health condition” and will return “very soon.”
No photos have emerged. No appearances on the campaign trail as he seeks reelection in the fall. And when the New York Times pressed his chief of staff, Dan Scharfenberger, on why the congressman hadn’t been seen in New Jersey or in Washington the response was striking: “There’s no cameras where Tom is.” He didn’t elaborate further.
His social media accounts have remained active throughout, but the posts are paired with old photos, with no signs of present activity.
Kean’s absence comes at a time when his party holds only a narrow majority in the House. In other words: every vote counts.
Democrats Weigh In
With Kean missing, four Democrats vying to challenge him in November debated Tuesday, and his disappearance was impossible to ignore.
“What we are being assured is that his team is carrying the torch,” said candidate Tina Shah. “But we elected Tom Kean Jr., not his team.”
Most candidates were careful not to attack a man whose condition remains unknown, but several argued transparency was the issue. “If you were missing work, you would tell your boss,” said Michael Roth, a former Biden administration official. “And Tom Kean Jr.’s boss is the people.”
The Stakes
As we first reported in April, Kean holds New Jersey’s most competitive congressional seat—one national Democrats have been aggressively targeting. His campaign had $3.35 million in cash on hand as of the first quarter. His staff maintains he has no plans to exit the race.
Whether he’ll be back in time to run it remains the question nobody can answer.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.