Rep. Tom Kean (R-NJ), who has dropped out of public view for months, cruised to the Republican nomination in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District Tuesday after running unopposed.
Kean, 57, has been away from work for nearly 90 days to deal with an unspecified medical issue.
The congressman’s last vote in Congress was March 5, raising questions about his fitness for office.
“My doctors are confident that I’m on the road to a full recovery,” Kean told the New Jersey Globe late last month, in his first known interview since his disappearance. “I understand the need for public transparency, and I appreciate the support of my constituents.
“I anticipate that in the next couple of weeks, I’ll return to voting and to the campaign trail,” he added.
Kean, the son of the former Garden State governor, is running for a third term representing one of the country’s most competitive districts, rated a “toss-up” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
The district, which includes President Trump’s Bedminster golf club, voted for Trump by two percentage points over former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, but went for Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill over Republican Jack Ciattarelli by the same margin in last year’s gubernatorial contest.
Kean was first elected to Congress in 2022, defeating Democrat incumbent Tom Malinowski by 2.8 perceantage points. He was re-elected in 2024 by 5.4 percentage points over Democrat Susan Altman.
Kean was endorsed by Trump last year, with the president touting him as a “tremendous advocate of our America First Agenda” who is “working tirelessly to Secure the Border, Stop Crime, Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes, Champion Small Business, Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Support our Brave Military and Veterans, and Protect and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.”
Trump re-upped his endorsement of Kean in a Monday night Truth Social post.
Republicans on Capitol Hill have fumed at the way the vulnerable incumbent has handled his absence.
“Everybody I’m talking to is just shocked at how poorly this is being handled by the Kean operation,” a New Jersey-based GOP consultant vented to The Post last month. “It’s created an air of mystery that’s fueled the story, or frankly, created the story.”
“The general consensus from the people I’m talking to is that something is prohibiting him from looking at an iPhone and doing a proof of life video … saying, ‘I’m here, I’m going through something, but I’ll be back.’”
