President Donald Trump has endorsed a candidate who hasn’t been seen in 89 days.
Trump has thrown his full weight behind Rep. Tom Kean, a 57-year-old New Jersey representative, who has aligned with the MAGA movement sufficiently to run unopposed in the GOP primary on Tuesday.
“Congressman Tom Kean is a Great Representative for the People of New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District!” Trump brayed late Monday in one of his signature after-dark Truth Social rampages.
“A Tremendous Advocate of our America First Agenda, Tom is working tirelessly to Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Champion Small Business, Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Support our Brave Military and Veterans, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment.
“Tom Kean has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election. Election Day is Tuesday, June 2nd. GET OUT AND VOTE FOR TOM — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
But Kean isn’t in Congress at the moment. In fact, he hasn’t been since March 5.
Few seem to know where he is, and those who do have largely remained silent.
“There’s no cameras where Tom is,” his chief of staff, Dan Scharfenberger, told The New York Times last month.
He’s in the running for a third term, and the seat he’s fighting for is expected to be hotly contested come November by the winner from a competitive field of four Democrats that go into Tuesday’s primary having each raised over $1 million.
House Speaker Mike Johnson hasn’t heard anything about when he can expect him back since early March, three anonymous GOP leadership sources told CNN. The network did report that the two men had spoken.
The chairman of the Republican Party in Sussex County, Joe LaBarbera, managed to reach him by phone and asked if there was anything they could do or anything he needed.
“Just your prayers,” he replied, according to the New York Times.
Meanwhile, his staff have been treading water, echoing assertions he made himself in April: that he will fully recover and return to Capitol Hill. In the meantime, they are attending constituent events in his stead.
Kean finally addressed his absence late last month, telling the New Jersey Globe, “My doctors are confident that I’m on the road to a full recovery.”
“I understand the need for public transparency, and I appreciate the support of my constituents,” he said.
“I anticipate that in the next couple of weeks, I’ll return to voting and to the campaign trail,” he said, adding. “I’m running.”
His home has reportedly been vacant, too. Kean’s neighbors in the wealthy suburb of Westfield told NOTUS that there has been little activity at the home. His wife, Rhonda, also appears to be missing, as neighbors said they couldn’t remember the last time a car was in the driveway or she was seen walking their dog.
“I want to thank my constituents and colleagues for their patience as I address a personal medical issue,” Kean’s official X account said in a statement on April 27. “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. I expect to return to a full schedule and be at 100 percent.
“I take my responsibilities seriously and have a strong record of showing up and delivering, which makes this absence all the more difficult. I am especially proud of my Congressional team, who have kept constituent services and legislative work moving forward without interruption, and my 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. I appreciate your support and look forward to being back in the near future.”
CNN reports, citing sources, that House Republicans are increasingly concerned about the implications for their fight to hold on to a narrow majority
The Daily Beast has contacted Kean’s office for comment.
