Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ) said he is nearing a “full recovery” and should return to work soon after an undisclosed health issue has kept him away from Congress since March.
“My doctors are confident that I’m on the road to a full recovery,” Kean told the New Jersey Globe.
“I understand the need for public transparency, and I appreciate the support of my constituents,” he added.
Kean hasn’t cast a vote in the House of Representatives since March 5.
More from the New Jersey Globe:
Kean, 57, said his prognosis is positive, with no expected long-term effects or chronic health complications. He said his medical issue would not affect his cognitive health.
He also laid out a rough timetable of his return.
“I anticipate that in the next couple of weeks, I’ll return to voting and to the campaign trail,” Kean stated.
In the meantime, the two-term Republican lawmaker said he is in daily touch with his congressional office and monitoring issues facing Congress and his district.
Kean was also clear about his future plans.
“I’m running,” he said.
This is the first public statement from Kean since April 24, although members of his staff have been issuing updates. It was also his first time speaking with a reporter since March.
“It took a real illness to knock him out,” his father, former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean Sr., said during a recent interview, according to The Hill.
“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,” he added.
Tom Kean Jr. breaks silence but says little as GOP frustrations mount over his mysterious 77-day absence https://t.co/S4AWLPS7QI pic.twitter.com/WuGDxgswii
— New York Post (@nypost) May 22, 2026
The Hill shared further:
Kean Jr. has missed dozens of roll call votes while he has been away, an issue that has reportedly become a private worry among Republicans, as the party holds only a slim majority in the House and cannot afford more than a couple of defections on party-line votes when all members are present.
“It’s a personal thing, and obviously I told him that we’re praying for him, and I need him to get back as soon as he can,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters last week.
His absence on the campaign trail has also not gone unnoticed.
Kean’s seat, which covers the western and central parts of New Jersey, is considered a “toss-up” heading into the November midterms. He defeated former Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.) by 3 points to flip the district in the 2022 election.
Kean is the only candidate on the June 2 GOP primary ballot, and his Democratic challengers have knocked him repeatedly over his recent hiatus.
While none of the Democratic candidates said during a debate last week that Kean was obligated to disclose details about his personal health, some suggested it exemplified a broader communication breakdown between the lawmaker and his constituents, according to the Globe.
