New Jersey Congressman Tom Keene Jr. to return to work within weeks
Rep. Tom Keene Jr., a Westfield Republican who represents NJ-7, said he will return to in-person work within weeks after months off.
It looks like Congressman Tom Keene Jr. may soon return to public life for the first time in more than 100 days.
The two-term Republican, New Jersey’s 7th Congressman, has not visited Washington, D.C., since early March.
Harrison Neely, the lawmaker’s consultant, said in a statement that Keene “hopes to return to in-person work and resume his full schedule on June 30th.”
Where did Congressman Tom Keene Jr. go?
Keene’s team released a statement saying he was dealing with personal medical issues but was “expected to be completely fine.”
In a statement in early June, he said the company would “move from virtual to in-person work in the coming weeks.”
This wasn’t the first time his return was promised. Neely said in an April 23 statement that Keene was “dealing with a personal health issue” and was “perfectly well and will return to his full schedule soon.”
Keene has not voted in the House of Representatives since March 5. The latest information about Keene’s return was first reported by the New Jersey Globe.
Keene returns to competitive NJ-7 racing
This year’s 7th Congressional District election is considered the most competitive in New Jersey. The region is made up of 93 towns in six counties, including Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren.
Keene’s team is adamant he still intends to run, and despite his mysterious absence, he has the support of President Donald Trump. He will face Rebecca Bennett, who won the June 2nd Democratic primary.
During a debate in May, Mr. Keene’s chief of staff, Dan Scharfenberger, told the New York Times that Mr. Keene intended to return soon and reiterated that Mr. Keene had not been seen in New Jersey or Washington because “there are no cameras where Tom is.”
Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey State Legislature. Email: sobko@northjersey.com
