By Andrew Kaczynski, Sarah Ferris, Ellis Kim, CNN
(CNN) — Top House Republicans have grown increasingly concerned by Rep. Tom Kean Jr.’s mysterious absence from the chamber.
Now his father, former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean Sr., is seeking to offer assurances that his son will be returning soon — though he, too, declined to offer any specifics as to why the congressman has been out of the public eye for more than two months.
In an interview with CNN, Kean Sr. said his son is recovering from what he described as a serious but temporary illness, pushing back on speculation surrounding the congressman’s prolonged absence from Washington.
“He’s hopefully coming back soon and he’s under the care of a doctor,” Kean Sr. told CNN by phone, adding he had been seen by several doctors. “They all agree he’s going to be fine. He’s under a doctor’s care.”
“It took a real illness to knock him out,” Kean Sr. added. “This won’t linger. It’s not some kind of disease that’s going to incapacitate him in the future. The consensus is that he will be 100% OK.”
Kean Sr. declined to specify the illness and said disclosure decisions are “up to him,” referring to his son.
The New Jersey congressman’s office has been equally vague, with his chief of staff saying without elaboration this week that Kean “is still attending to a personal health matter” and will return to a full schedule “soon.”
The former governor’s remarks come amid spiking anxiety among top House Republicans about Kean’s absence — and unusual silence surrounding it on Capitol Hill. Party leaders and senior aides have repeatedly told CNN they do not have any idea where Kean is or what medical condition he may be suffering from, a rarity for a House GOP leadership team tasked with keeping close contact with rank-and-file members as they navigate their historically narrow majority.
House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters in Washington Thursday that he had spoken with the congressman about two weeks prior and had a “short, very positive conversation.”
“He sounded great. He said he was, you know, out on a medical issue, and he’ll be back as soon as possible,” Johnson said, adding that Kean Jr. can “of course” run for reelection as he remains absent from Congress.
“Like everyone, sometimes things happen that are out of our control. We have medical issues. We’ve got to deal with them. So that’s what this is,” he said.
Privately, both lawmakers and aides have acknowledged it’s becoming a bigger political problem by the week, with Kean’s absence complicating the razor-thin GOP majority — and potentially jeopardizing the fate of his north Jersey swing seat this November.
Even some of his closest colleagues in Congress say they have not heard from him, despite trying to contact him, according to one lawmaker close to Kean.
Kean, first elected in 2022, represents New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, a large, suburban seat seen to be a top pickup opportunity for Democrats in the 2026 midterm election.
His primary is June 2 and he is currently the only Republican candidate running. Multiple Democrats, meanwhile, are vying for his seat.
For now, Kean chief of staff Dan Scharfenberger said in a statement that “the Congressman’s team continues to serve the people of New Jersey uninterrupted.”
Kean last cast a vote on March 5, according to congressional records, and has since missed dozens of other votes, with his absence fueling rampant questions about his health.
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