President Trump Endorses Congressman Who Has Been Absent for Months

President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind a U.S. congressman who has been mysteriously absent from Capitol Hill in recent months. Here is a deeper dive into the endorsement, as well as more details about the unexplained disappearance.

Where Has GOP Congressman Kean Been?

President Trump announced on Monday that he is endorsing Rep. Tom Kean Jr. as he seeks reelection. The Republican from the state of New Jersey is the son of a former governor. In a social media post on June 1, Trump endorsed Kean by saying, "He will never let you down!"

However, Kean has been missing from Congress for three months. The lawmaker recently assured his constituency that he is "working tirelessly," despite the fact that records show that he has been absent for over 100 votes in the U.S. House of Representatives since the beginning of March.  He last cast a vote on March 5.

On Tuesday, Kean said that he would begin the transition from virtual work to in-person work in a few weeks. While he has not offered up any specific information about his absence, he has confirmed that he is addressing a medical issue with a positive prognosis.

Kean is running for a third term in Congress. Although he ran unopposed in the Garden State's June Republican primary, he is going to be dealing with a much more challenging path in the general election in November. The well-respected Cook Political Report has listed Kean's district as a toss-up for the midterm election. The nonpartisan reporting agency had previously listed the district as a lean towards the GOP.  

Kean released a statement on Tuesday saying that he would be "completely transparent to the nature of my medical condition" when he transitions back to in-person work. He went on to acknowledge the need for transparency, saying that he looks forward to "sharing my experience with the public." Kean also said that he does not expect to have any chronic complications or cognitive impairments after he makes his return to Capitol Hill.

House Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly is not in the know about Kean's medical condition. When speaking to reporters, the top-ranking Republican in the chambers said that he did not know the details and that he has to respect that.

Local GOP leaders in New Jersey have expressed confidence about Kean's ability to move forward with the important campaign. His staff has also offered assurances that they are still working to assist their constituents.

Kean has not been completely off the grid during his absence. The congressman has often posted about the ongoing campaign on his social media accounts. Most recently, he remotely introduced a bill that would expand federal healthcare coverage for a pregnancy complication known as preeclampsia.

Potential Implications of Kean's Absence for the Midterms

The 57-year-old's absence could have vast political consequences. The Republican Party has been hanging on to a slim majority in the House. With so many close races, every little bit of change in the political landscape could have the potential of putting the Trump administration's agenda in jeopardy.

Speaker Johnson is already seeing the impacts of the razor-thin margin. Without Kean's support, the GOP leader can only afford to lose the support of two members on any vote. This uncertainty has led to procedural votes that have dragged on for hours.

Kean is slated to go up against former healthcare executive Rebecca Bennett in the November election. Bennett easily won the nod in Tuesday's primary election in the Garden State's seventh district.

Kean's unexplained absence has sparked debate about the right of lawmakers to privacy versus their professional responsibilities to their constituents. While Kean's allies say that he deserves to maintain his privacy as he deals with a personal health issue, his critics note that he is a public servant who should be more transparent about why he has not been at work in months.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Eli Cousin recently said that "Career politician Tom Kean Jr. has never been more vulnerable." Cousin noted that Kean "will be held accountable for betraying New Jersey families and for the damage he has inflicted when he’s actually been in Washington to vote."

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