New Jersey Congressman Tom Kean Jr. Missing from Votes
Rep. Tom Kean Jr., a Republican from New Jersey representing a crucial district for the upcoming midterms, hasn’t been seen by his colleagues in over a month and is reportedly missing numerous votes.
Kean has served New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District since 2023. He has not participated in any votes since March 5 and has skipped nearly 50 roll calls. Reports indicate he missed over 20% of the votes from January to March 2026, as tracked by GovTrack.
Two fellow New Jersey Republicans, Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew, expressed to Politico their worries about Kean, stating they’ve reached out via phone and email but received no response. Other council members have not convened to discuss his absence.
Kean’s office did not provide any comments when contacted.
His team has noted that he is dealing with unspecified health issues. As of now, he has missed about 50 votes from roll calls.
Those close to Kean’s office claim he faced a sudden health challenge but is expected to return soon. Bill Palatucci, affiliated with the Republican National Committee and part of Kean’s campaign, mentioned to Politico that health problems happen unexpectedly, and voters might be less sympathetic as time goes on.
While Kean faced no opposition in the Republican primary, he may encounter significant challenges during the midterm elections. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report has labeled the race as a “gamble,” citing less favorable conditions for incumbents, a potentially stronger Democratic opposition, and shifts in voting patterns in the district.
In the previous presidential election, Kean’s district was closely contested, with only a 1 percentage point difference, while he lost to the Democrats by four points in 2020. Meanwhile, in the nearby 11th District, Democrat Analilia Mejia secured a notable victory over her moderate opponent in a recent special election.
Kean took his seat from Tom Malinowski, a previous representative of the 7th District, after narrowly losing to him two years ago. Notably, Kean’s father, former New Jersey Gov. Thomas Kean, served the state from 1982 to 1990.
As the midterms approach, Republicans are facing challenges in preserving their slim majority in the House due to various resignations, retirements, and unexpected departures.
