For nearly three months, Republican Rep. Tom Kean of New Jersey has been a ghost––he has not made public appearances, stepped onto the House floor, or cast a vote since March 5.
In that time, Kean has offered very little information about his absence. On April 27, he said in a statement that he was addressing “a personal medical issue” and that “my doctors continue to assure me that my recovery will be complete and that I will be back to the job I love very soon,” but offered no further detail.
“I want to thank my constituents and colleagues for their patience,” he said at the time, stressing that “I take my responsibilities very seriously.”
Then, last week, Kean gave his first interview since the start of his prolonged absence, telling the New Jersey Globe that he would come back to work “in the next couple of weeks.”
“My doctors are confident that I’m on the road to a full recovery,” Kean said during the phone interview. “I understand the need for public transparency, and I appreciate the support of my constituents.”
TIME has reached out to Kean’s office for comment.
As well as being a member of Republican’s current, razor-thin majority in the House, Kean sits in a swing seat in New Jersey’s seventh congressional district, which the Cook Political Report rates among the most competitive in this year’s high-stakes midterm elections. Kean’s seat could prove crucial in the GOP’s battle to retain House control, which has made his absence a significant point of concern for the party.
Kean, who is unopposed in the Republican primary for his seat on June 2, confirmed in his interview with the Globe last week that he is still running for reelection. He told the New Jersey outlet that he is in contact with his congressional office every day, and has been staying on top of…
