Rep. Tom – Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. said he was diagnosed with depression after hospital testing and was away from Congress for nearly four months without explanation, winning a GOP primary while Democrats seized on his absence in the fall’s race.
For nearly four months, Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. disappeared from Capitol Hill while the votes kept coming and his district kept waiting. On Tuesday, the New Jersey Republican came back to the House floor and offered the explanation he had withheld from the public: struggles with depression.
Kean. R-N.J. said his last vote was on March 5 and that he missed numerous votes and other appearances after health concerns that sent him to a hospital for testing several months earlier. He told lawmakers and constituents that he was subsequently diagnosed with depression and that doctors recommended he remain in the hospital to address the illness.
“Talking about myself has never come naturally,” Kean said. “But I believe that I owe an explanation to the people of New Jersey’s seventh district, to my colleagues in this chamber and to the American people for my absence.”
He described the illness in stark personal terms—“It is physical. It is emotional”—and said it was hard to fully grasp its force until someone experiences it firsthand. Kean said he initially believed he would be away for only weeks. but he later learned there is “no timeline for recovery. ” adding that it’s a reality faced by roughly 48 million Americans who have battled depression.
Kean said he accepted help and is now returning healthier. “Today I stand before you healthier, stronger and excited to return to the work that I love.”
The months-long gap raised immediate questions inside New Jersey and among House Republicans already fighting to hold a razor-thin majority. House Speaker Mike Johnson had told reporters in April that he spoke with Kean and that Kean was dealing with an undisclosed medical issue. Kean was not spotted until recently at his New Jersey home. and for weeks Kean and his office declined to share additional details—an absence that fueled rumors and speculation.
Even with the time away, Kean won the GOP primary earlier this month to defend his seat in this fall’s midterm elections. He will face Democrat Rebecca Bennett, a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot and healthcare executive.
Bennett has made Kean’s missing time a central point of attack. At an event last week. Bennett told supporters: “Tom Kean Junior. wherever you are. you have failed this district.” After Kean’s remarks on Tuesday. Bennett said she was relieved he was well and wished him good health. but added. “But let’s be clear: I got into this race because Tom Kean Jr. was failing our community long before this absence.”.
Democrats have said Kean’s 7th congressional district is a top target as they work to take back the majority.
Kean is not the first member of Congress to speak openly about depression in recent years. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., took leave from the Capitol in 2023 after being diagnosed with the illness. In Fetterman’s case, his office announced the news within days of he starting treatment.
Kean was elected to Congress for his first term beginning in 2023. flipping a district previously represented by former Democratic Congressman Tom Malinowski. His political lineage is long: his father, former New Jersey Gov. Thomas Kean Sr., was appointed by former President George W. Bush as a chair of the 9/11 Commission. Kean’s grandfather and great grandfather also served in Congress.
For Kean, the statement on Tuesday wasn’t just about answering why he left the chamber. It was also about stepping back into a high-stakes political moment—one where. as his colleagues and rivals quickly made clear. his absence didn’t only remove a member from a roll call. It changed the campaign weather in a district that Democrats are targeting and Republicans can’t afford to lose.
Tom Kean Jr. depression Congress New Jersey 7th district Mike Johnson Rebecca Bennett midterm elections House of Representatives John Fetterman