Tom Kean Jr., a Republican congressman from New Jersey, has not appeared on Capitol Hill for close to two months, with aides attributing his absence to unspecified medical concerns.

Kean, considered one of the more vulnerable Republicans in New Jersey’s congressional delegation, last cast a vote on March 5 and has since missed more than 40 roll call votes.

Despite his absence from Washington, Kean posted on social media Wednesday noting that two of his legislative proposals had advanced out of committee. However, he was not physically present in the Capitol for votes that day.

A spokesperson told Politico that the congressman is “facing unspecified health issues.” Even so, several fellow New Jersey lawmakers said they have had no direct communication with him during this period.

Concern about Kean’s status has intensified as Congress deals with a string of illnesses and deaths among members, all while operating with razor-thin partisan margins.

At present, the House consists of 217 Republicans along with one independent aligned with the GOP, 212 Democrats, and five vacant seats.

Earlier this year, David Scott, who had been seeking reelection, became the fifth sitting House member to pass away since the start of 2025.

In addition, Donald Trump recently revealed that Neal Dunn, who has a known terminal illness, was expected to be “dead by June.”

Kean’s fellow New Jersey Republicans, Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew, said they have attempted to contact him to check on his condition but have received no response, describing the situation as “radio silence.”

“I know the congressman and his family appreciate all of the well wishes and support,” said Harrison Neely, a consultant for Kean. “Please know that he will be back on a regular full schedule very soon.”

Capitol Hill has seen unexplained absences before. In 2024, former Rep. Kay Granger was found living in a memory care facility after being out of public view for an extended period.

Kean’s disappearance has also raised political concerns ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, given the competitiveness of his district.

A two-term congressman, Kean maintained an almost flawless voting record until earlier this year, according to data from GovTrack.

With Republicans holding only a narrow majority, even a single prolonged absence can complicate efforts by GOP leadership to pass key legislation, including measures such as the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

{Matzav.com}