Rep. Tom Kean Jr. absent from Congress for weeks over a 'personal health matter'

CongressRep. Tom Kean Jr. absent from Congress for weeks over a 'personal health matter'The vulnerable Republican is facing re-election in a district rated a "toss-up" by the Cook Political Report. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., last voted in the House on March 5. Bill Clark / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 24, 2026, 1:55 PM EDT / Updated April 24, 2026, 1:59 PM EDTBy Alexandra Marquez, Alexandra Marquez, Kyle Stewart and Melanie ZanonaRep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., has been absent from the House since early March as he deals with a “personal health matter,” his office said. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Dan Scharfenberger, Kean’s chief of staff, told NBC News in an email earlier this week that the congressman "is addressing a personal health matter and will be returning to a regular full schedule.”Kean last voted in the House on March 5, voting records maintained by the House clerk show. The New Jersey Globe first reported Kean’s extended absence. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-N.J. said he spoke to Kean by phone on Thursday afternoon and the congressman "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,” Johnson said in a statement first provided to The New York Times on Thursday and then to NBC News.Republicans hold a slim majority in the House, and member absences can have an outsized impact on votes with narrow margins. The House has 217 GOP members, 212 Democratic members and one independent, Rep. Kevin Kiley of California, who caucuses with Republicans.Asked if he had heard from his fellow New Jersey Republican, Rep. Jeff Van Drew replied, “Not a word.” Several House members this year are facing health issues, including Rep. Neal Dunn,...