WESTFIELD, N.J. – As residents of New Jersey convened this week to discuss pressing issues like affordable housing and the development of new data centers with a state legislator, another topic was on everyone’s lips: the whereabouts of their congressman, Republican Tom Kean Jr.
“Any updates?” inquired Steve McCabe, an 80-year-old retired attorney, directing his question to Jon Bramnick, a Republican state senator.
Bramnick was at a loss for words regarding Kean’s mysterious medical absence, which has now spanned nearly three months. However, he shared with attendees how Kean was known for his dedication to attending votes during their time together in the Legislature, even braving snowstorms to do so.
“I once said, ‘Tom, maybe we should turn back,’” Bramnick reminisced.
Currently, Kean has missed over 100 Congressional votes, and his absence is felt both in Washington and his local district. This enigma holds significant political weight, as Kean’s district is a key focus for Democrats who aim to regain the majority in Congress.
Despite the situation, Kean’s team maintains that he still intends to run for reelection. Although he faces no opposition in the upcoming Tuesday primary, several Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination.
Harrison Neely, Kean’s campaign consultant, said the congressman was dealing with a medical emergency. He promised that Kean would be transparent about the issue and would return to a full schedule “very soon.”
“This was an emergency, you don’t get to plan these,” Neely said. “There’s no good timing for this.”
To Bramnick, it seems like it must be something serious.
“For him not to be there, that’s a big deal,” he said.
‘We’re expecting him back here soon’
Kean represents the 7th Congressional District, a mix of suburbs and small towns. It includes President Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf course.
Despite being redrawn after the most recent census in 2021 to become more favorable to Republicans, the district has seesawed between the parties in each of the last two midterm elections. Republican Leonard Lance lost to Democrat Tom Malinowski in 2018. Malinowski lost to Kean in 2022.
Kean’s last vote in the House was March 5. Since then his absence has drawn escalating attention.
“We’re expecting him back here soon,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., recently. “He’s going to be fully transparent.”
Kean comes from a storied political family. His father served as governor. An ancestor was New Jersey’s first leader after the United States declared independence.
The New Jersey Globe, a local political website, said it received a call from Kean this month. He did not explain his condition, only that “my doctors are confident that I’m on the road to a full recovery.”
McCabe, the voter who asked Bramnick about Kean, said he wanted an update after reading the news about the congressman’s absence.
“I hope he’s not sick,” he said.
What if Kean steps down?
Bruce Paterson, a 75-year-old retired engineer from Garwood, described himself as a “regular Democrat, not like the crazy Democrats they have today.” He attended the town hall with Bramnick and plans to support Kean in the general election.
“I hope he comes back,” he said. “I mean, will I vote for him? Probably only because we need a nice balance” in a state otherwise dominated by Democrats.
Another voter asked Bramnick if Kean steps down after Tuesday’s primary whether he would accept the Republican nomination for the 7th District. If that were to happen, party leaders in the district’s counties would hold a convention to choose a replacement.
Bramnick repeatedly noted Kean is running for reelection and questioned whether his own candidacy would be a good fit in today’s Republican Party. While Bramnick has criticized Trump, including during Bramnick’s failed campaign for governor last year, Kean has embraced the president and features his endorsement prominently on social media accounts.
“I’m not considered the biggest fan of Donald Trump,” Bramnick said. “I don’t think that the Republican Party is interested in sending someone to Washington that may vote yes or no depending on how I feel about the issue.”
Democrats are waiting in the wings
Some Democrats running in the primary have criticized Kean over the failure to tell constituents about what is going on.
“Tom Kean disappeared from the job,” said Michael Roth, a former Small Business Administration official.
Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy pilot also in the race, wished Kean a speedy recovery but criticized his record in Congress, including the battle over money for a new railway tunnel connecting New Jersey with New York City.
“He was nowhere to be found when funding got cut for the Gateway Tunnel, which is a critical infrastructure project in our district,” she said.
Candidates Tina Shah, an intensive care unit doctor, and Brian Varela, a marketing agency founder, have also been critical of Kean during debates.
Kean, who has a cash advantage at this point over his potential Democratic opponents, still has time before the November election to connect with voters, said Benjamin Dworkin, director of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship.
“The issue is not going to be that he was out for a hundred plus votes in the spring,” he said. “The question is really, how effective is he going to get once he returns?”
