Rep. Tom Kean has been absent from Congress for nearly three months and has privately called GOP colleagues asking for 'just your prayers,' while his staff cites a 'personal health matter' without providing medical details. Kean has missed more than 100 House votes since March 5 and says his doctors expect a full recovery. The unexplained absence has prompted questions about his whereabouts and shifted the political dynamics in New Jersey’s competitive 7th District ahead of 2026.
Missing Rep. Tom Kean Quietly Calls Colleagues, Asks for Prayers as Absence Enters Third Month
Kean has missed over 100 votes in the House amid his absence. / Global Images Ukraine / Global Images Ukraine via Getty
Missing New Jersey Rep. Tom Kean has privately contacted fellow Republicans to ask for their prayers after disappearing from public view for nearly three months, raising questions about his health and his ability to continue campaigning.
The New York Times reports Kean has been calling GOP colleagues while absent from Congress; this week he phoned Carlos Santos, the Republican leader in Union County. Joe LaBarbera, Sussex County’s Republican chair, who was in Santos’s car when the call came, told the Times he asked Kean if he needed anything and was told, 'Just your prayers.'
'He sounded healthy. He sounded excited to get back on the campaign trail,' Santos said.
Statements being released on Kean's behalf have only created more confusion about his absence. / Jonathan Ernst / REUTERS
Kean has missed more than 100 House votes since his last recorded vote on March 5. His office attributes his absence to a 'personal health matter' but has declined to provide medical details. Dan Scharfenberger, Kean’s chief of staff, drew further attention with the remark that 'there’s no cameras where Tom is,' a comment that intensified public curiosity about the congressman’s whereabouts.
Kean’s father, former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean Sr., told NJ.com the congressman’s undisclosed illness is 'serious' but expected to be temporary. 'It’s not some kind of disease that’s going to incapacitate him in the future,' Kean Sr. said, adding that 'the consensus is that he will be 100% OK.'
Kean later addressed his absence in an interview with the New Jersey Globe, saying, 'My doctors are confident that I’m on the road to a full recovery.' He also said he understands the need for public transparency and anticipates returning to voting and the campaign trail within weeks, concluding, 'I’m running.'
His wife, Rhonda, has been MIA too. / Chip East / REUTERS
Neighbors in the affluent Westfield suburb report the congressman’s home has shown little visible activity during his absence, and some said his wife, Rhonda, has not been seen recently. Kean’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Beast.
Political Implications
New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District—one of the wealthiest districts in the country—was already viewed as competitive heading into the 2026 midterms. Of roughly 635,000 registered voters, Republicans hold about a 3 percent registration advantage. This week, the nonpartisan newsletter Inside Elections moved its outlook on the race toward Democrats, citing uncertainty around Kean’s unexplained absence and the need for an active Republican candidate on the trail.
What’s clear: Kean’s staff continues to send communications in his name, but there is still no public timeline for his return or detailed explanation of his condition. Observers say the prolonged, vague absence has created both political risk for Republicans and frustration among constituents seeking transparency.
'Kean’s staff insists that the congressman will be back to work shortly and continues to send out communications in his name, but there’s no indication of when he will actually return or where he currently is,' Inside Elections said, noting the practical challenges for Republicans trying to defend the swing seat.
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