Republican Tom Kean Jr. reveals depression diagnosis after his four-month absence from Congress
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- Rep. Tom Kean Jr. disclosed on the House floor Tuesday that he was treated for depression during his four-month absence, saying he kept silent because he is a "private person by nature" and adding: "until you experience it yourself, it is difficult to fully understand how powerful this illness can be."
- Kean last voted on March 5 and missed more than 100 House votes this year, complicating House Republican leaders' efforts to pass bills with their threadbare majority.
- Kean won an uncontested primary on June 2 and is set to face Democratic nominee Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, in November in one of New Jersey's most high-profile races.
- Speaker Mike Johnson said he was "glad he finally has" been transparent about his condition, while deferring to Kean on whether the floor remarks provided enough explanation.
- Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) expressed "deep sympathy" for anyone struggling with mental illness but wrote that "when a public official is absent for an extended period, the public has a right to an honest explanation."
- Kean comes from a New Jersey political dynasty stretching 250 years: his great-grandfather was a senator, his grandfather a congressman, and his father is former two-term Gov. Tom Kean Sr.
Why it matters: Kean's four-month silence spanned more than 100 missed votes and an uncontested primary in a battleground district that includes President Trump's Bedminster golf club. With Democrats targeting the seat as a top pickup and Democratic nominee Rebecca Bennett waiting in November, the lingering questions about transparency could become a campaign issue even as Kean declared himself "healthier, stronger" and ready to return.
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