Tom Kean Jr, a New Jersey Republican who has been absent from the US Capitol for over three months, is speaking out for the first time.
Kean, 57, has not cast a vote since March 5 and has been cryptic about his health-related absence, even with GOP leadership.
When asked about his long, unexplained leave, he replied cryptically - without disclosing his illness.
'My doctors are confident that I’m on the road to a full recovery,' he told the New Jersey Globe.
'I understand the need for public transparency, and I appreciate the support of my constituents,' Kean went on.
He said he would return to voting and the campaign trail 'in the next couple of weeks.'
Florida Democrat Frederica Wilson has also not cast a vote in nearly a month, and her office was caught using a 2025 photograph in a post about an event she was expected to attend this past Tuesday.
Wilson, 83, has not voted since April 17th, though her team has kept up social media posts that make it look like she is still out and interacting with constituents.
But it's Kean who is causing the loudest alarm bells through Capitol Hill corridors.
New Jersey Republican Tom Kean Jr in his Congressional portrait
Florida Democrat Frederica Wilson speaks at an event on Capitol Hill on May 23, 2018
Senior GOP staffers and lawmakers who spoke with Punchbowl News said they had received little to no information about Kean's condition or whereabouts. When asked by NBC News when Kean planned to return, Johnson said 'I don't know.'
A spokesperson for Kean told Punchbowl that there was 'absolutely nothing to worry about' concerning his boss, adding that 'Congressman Kean is going to be back to a full schedule very soon. He will be 100% healthy and is excited to get back to work.'
Kean, in a post made to his congressional campaign's social media page in late April, noted in a statement posted on April 27th that he was dealing with an unspecified 'personal medical issue' that he expects to recover from.
'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,' Kean said in the statement. 'I expect to return to a full schedule and be at 100 percent.
Kean has not disclosed a specific illness as the reason for his absence.
'I take my responsibilities seriously and have a strong record of showing up and delivering, which makes this absence all the more difficult,' he continued.
He then thanked his Congressional team, 'who have kept constituent services and legislative work moving forward without interruption,' as well as his political team, 'for ensuring the campaign continues to run strong.'
'I also want to thank my friends and colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their patience and understanding during this time,' the congressman said. 'I appreciate your support and look forward to being back in the near future.'
His campaign account has continued to post over the last several weeks, though none appear to be photographs taken in real time.
Kean, who comes from a family of political scions, is running for re-election in a highly-contested district where four prominent Democratic candidates are vying to run against him
Republicans maintain only a slim majority in the House of Representatives
Kean currently represents New Jersey's 7th congressional district, a key target for Democrats in this year's midterm elections.
The Cook Political Report rates Kean's seat as a 'toss-up' along with 13 others held by Republicans. President Donald Trump won the district by one point in 2024.
Kean's campaign is still continuing to send fundraising solicitation emails, emphasizing how 'razor-thin the margin' is for GOP control in the House of Representatives.