Trump endorses New Jersey Republican who hasn't been seen for months

Rob Tornoe, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Jun 2, 2026

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New Jersey Rep. Thomas Kean Jr., R-N.J., hasn’t been seen publicly for nearly three months and has missed more than 100 House votes.

That didn't prevent him from receiving an endorsement from Donald Trump, who claimed Kean Jr. has been "working tirelessly" to promote the president's agenda.

"Tom Kean has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election," Trump wrote on his Truth Social account on Monday night, urging his supporters to vote Tuesday

Kean, 57, doesn't have an opponent in Tuesday's primary. What he is facing are questions about his unexplained absence and when he'll return.

His last vote in Congress was cast March 5. His only public communication since then has been a May phone interview with New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein, in which he said he was suffering from “a personal medical issue" and anticipated returning “in the next couple of weeks.”

“There’s no cameras where Tom is," Dan Scharfenberger, Kean's chief of staff, told the New York Times last month.

Four Democrats are vying for the chance to face Kean and flip his North Jersey seat blue in November in one of the most-watched districts in the country. Cook Political Report rates it a pure “toss up.”

Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, appears to be the front-runner, according to a recent poll released by pollster Patrick Murray. Possibly the biggest indication of her status are new ads attacking her paid for by Real Change PAC, which is reportedly aligned with Republicans (they won’t disclose their donors until June 20, according to Politico ).

Other Democrats vying for the seat Tuesday are Tina Shah, a physician and former senior adviser to the U.S. surgeon general; Michael Roth, a former senior Biden administration official; and Brian Varela, a small-business owner.