Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson addressed reports concerning the long absence of GOP Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. of New Jersey Friday after the congressman missed votes for over a month without providing any details to the public.
Kean, 57, was first elected in 2022. He cast his last vote on March 5, but has missed 50 roll call votes since then, ABC News reported.
Johnson provided a statement to ABC News saying he spoke with Kean over the phone Thursday, adding that the New Jersey Republican is battling a “personal health matter.”
“I was happy to speak to Tom Kean, Jr. this afternoon by phone,” the statement read. “He is attending to a personal health matter and expects to be back to 100 percent 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,” Johnson concluded.
Kean’s spokeswoman, Noelle Berriet, did not answer multiple media requests from the outlet regarding the congressman’s status.
Kean’s strategist, Harrison Neely, said, “The congressman is dealing with a personal medical issue. He’s going to be 100 percent fine and he’s going to be back with a full schedule soon.”
No specific date was given for his return.
Kean’s fellow House Republicans from New Jersey, Reps. Jeff Van Drew and Chris Smith, said they both have tried to get in touch with him but have been unsuccessful thus far.
“We’ve both reached out. Don’t know,” Smith said, according to New Jersey Spotlight News.
“Complete radio silence,” Van Drew added. “Nobody’s covering up. We just haven’t heard a word. We talk about it — We’re worried about him.”
Kean’s Democratic colleagues in the House who are also from New Jersey said they don’t know what’s happening, either.
Kean’s chief of staff, Dan Scharfenberger, emailed a statement to NJ Spotlight News last week, saying, “Congressman is addressing a personal health matter. He will be returning to a full regular schedule.”
He did not, however, respond to a follow-up request for comment earlier this week.
Republicans currently hold a razor-thin majority of 217-212 in the lower chamber and have little room for error to pass President Donald Trump’s ambitious agenda.
There are currently five vacancies due to resignations or deaths, and one “independent” member, who caucuses with the GOP.
Johnson is gearing up for several showdowns over funding linked to the Department of Homeland Security, an extension of FISA, and a farm bill.
In addition, the upcoming midterm elections are expected to be extremely close, and Kean’s district — which leans Republican — has now been deemed a toss-up by the Cook Political Report.
Moreover, Kean is anticipated to be the GOP nominee, assuming he can stay healthy. If he were to drop out for any reason, it would upend the race entirely.
Republicans are currently favored to hold or add seats in the Senate, while Democrats continue to express confidence about flipping the House.
This result would be an almost identical outcome to the 2018 elections during Trump’s first term in office.
The GOP added two seats in the upper chamber but lost the House, resulting in Trump’s impeachment and a heavily divided federal government.
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