Published by TrenBuzz.com | May 30, 2026
Key Points at a Glance – Congressman Tom Kean Jr. Missing From Congress for Over 80 Days
- Rep. Tom Kean Jr. has not voted in the House since March 5, 2026, missing over 80 consecutive days.
- His office confirmed only a “personal health matter” without any further details.
- Kean has missed 68 votes including on legislation ending the 75-day DHS shutdown.
- Prediction markets give Democrats a 74 to 78 percent chance of flipping his New Jersey 7th District.
- Kean raised over $600,000 from corporate PACs during his absence, angering constituents.
- He is running for re-election unopposed in New Jersey’s June 2 Republican primary.
New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District has not seen its congressman in over two months. And that silence is getting louder as November approaches.
Rep. Tom Kean Jr.’s New Jersey district is among the country’s most competitive, and his absence from the House since March has sparked increasing alarm in his party.
Kean’s office has said his two-month absence is related to a “personal health matter” but has not elaborated. The congressman has missed 68 votes in the House, including on legislation to end the record 75-day shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.
The Political Stakes Are Enormous
Kean’s seat could prove crucial in the GOP’s battle to retain House control. Republican President Donald Trump narrowly carried the seat by about 1 point in the 2024 election, but Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill also won the seat in her gubernatorial race last year.
“If you were missing work, you would tell your boss, and Tom Kean Jr.’s boss is the people. He did not tell us. That’s it. And in the time that he did not show up for work, he has raised more than $600,000 just from corporate PACs alone,” opponent Sue Roth told the New Jersey Mirror.
Constituents Are Losing Patience
Democratic candidate Rebecca Bennett said: “He is never around, he’s not on the ground, he doesn’t meet with voters, and he doesn’t meet with constituents. And so, to me, this is just an extension of how he’s been in office from the beginning.”
Prediction markets favor Democrats, who had a 78 percent chance on Kalshi and a 74 percent chance on Polymarket of flipping the battleground district as of Tuesday morning.
What Kean’s Camp Says
Kean confirmed in an interview with the Globe last week that he is still running for reelection. He said he is in contact with his congressional office every day and has been staying on top of goings-on in Congress and his district, and has recently been speaking with some Republican officials in his state.
Republicans nationally are watching one seat in New Jersey with growing dread. It might not be the biggest or loudest race of the midterms. But in a House where the majority is measured in single digits, Tom Kean Jr.’s empty chair is the kind of story that can decide who runs Congress after November.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and news reporting purposes only. All facts, quotes, and polling data are sourced from The Washington Post, NBC News, Time Magazine, and Newsweek as of May 29, 2026. Rep. Kean has confirmed he is still running for reelection. TrenBuzz.com does not endorse any political candidate or party. Readers are encouraged to follow credible news and official election authority sources for real-time updates.