The mystery of the New Jersey lawmaker’s absence has been plaguing Washington for weeks.
WASHINGTON – For most Americans, being out of work for nearly three months with little explanation would be a one-way ticket to unemployment.
But for members of Congress, the rules don’t always apply.
Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr., who represents much of northwestern New Jersey, has not been seen at the Capitol since early March, when he last voted in the House.
Since then, no one seems to know exactly what happened, where he was, or why he left.
The only fact widely agreed upon is that Keene, the 57-year-old son of former New Jersey Gov. Tom Keene Sr., has said he suffers from a vague medical problem, which he has promised to reveal in full someday.
“We’re just worried about him,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania). “I hope he’s okay.”
The mystery has been plaguing Washington for weeks, leaving some voters in the Garden State shocked and worried. Mr. Keene’s mysterious absence also has political implications, jeopardizing Speaker Mike Johnson’s already slim Republican majority in the House and, by extension, President Donald Trump’s agenda in a critical midterm election year.
The situation has also sparked a broader debate about the tension between the right of MPs to a degree of personal privacy and their broader professional responsibilities.
In the eyes of Keene’s supporters, he is taking a much-needed break to restore his health. But to his critics, he’s a public servant with a six-figure salary supported by taxpayers, and he’s not working much these days to earn that salary.
Michael Ross, one of the Democrats running to replace him, said during a May 12 primary debate that “if you miss work, you’re going to tell your boss.” “Tom Keene Jr.’s boss is the people.”
James Herry, a longtime resident of Keene’s hometown and president of the Westfield Rotary Club, said he was “totally opposed” to Keene’s policies, but “to me, his medical issues are private.”
“I don’t think this is that much of an issue,” he told USA TODAY. “It’s a problem for Mike Johnson.”
Other New Jerseyans aren’t as forgiving either.
“As a voter, it’s pretty shocking and pretty concerning,” Somerville chef Bobby Anderson told NBC News.
Keene reappears and speaks to reporters.
On May 21, almost three months after her mysterious disappearance, Keene suddenly appeared in public.
In a phone call with a New Jersey Globe reporter, he confirmed he would run for a third term and said he would return to the campaign trail and vote “in the coming weeks.”
“Doctors are confident that I am on the path to a full recovery,” he said. “I understand the public’s need for transparency and appreciate the support of my constituents.”
But for many onlookers, the interview raised more questions than answers.
First, Keene did not disclose his illness, but said he does not expect to have any chronic complications or cognitive impairment. He also vowed to “fully disclose” the details of his health issues “soon”, but did not give a specific date.
The day before the Globe interview was published, two other New Jersey Republicans, Rep. Chris Smith and Rep. Jeff Van Drew, told USA TODAY they had no updates on Mr. Keene’s condition and did not know exactly when he would return to Washington.
On May 21, USA TODAY contacted the number listed as Keene’s in its records and provided Keene’s voice as the outgoing message. Several texts and phone calls went unanswered. Attempts to contact his wife were unsuccessful. Mr. Keene’s chief of staff, Dan Scharfenberger, did not respond to a request for comment, but in a May 20 social media post he called Mr. Keene’s boss a “very capable lawmaker.”
Mike Johnson, Keene and Relentless Mathematics
Mr. Keene last cast a House vote on March 5, missing out on about 100 votes in Congress.
Many of the legislative actions that have taken place during this period have demonstrated how narrow the Republican majority in the House is, with Speaker Johnson essentially only allowed to lose two supporters for every vote. This ruthless political calculation caused what is normally a painless procedural vote to drag on for hours.
Case in point: On the same day that Mr. Keene briefly surfaced, Republican leaders abruptly canceled a vote on the Iran War Ending Act over concerns that the bill would pass through defections or absenteeism. Just before that, six Republicans surprisingly sided with Democrats and passed a bill that would block transgender women from being exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution. Both cases demonstrated the consequences of losing just a handful of votes in a 435-member chamber.
Throughout it all, Johnson has stood behind Keene. On May 20, the speaker passionately defended the New Jersey lawmaker even as national attention to his absence was at its peak. He said he spoke by phone with Keene “a few weeks ago” and expected him to return to Washington “soon.”
“He has medical issues,” Johnson told reporters. “I don’t know the details either, but I have to respect that.”
Can Democrats win Keene’s seat?
Where Republicans face personal challenges, Democrats see an opportunity.
Since Mr. Keene is running unopposed in the June 2 Republican primary, it is almost certain that whichever of the Democrats facing him in November will shape their campaign around Mr. Keene’s disappearance. Long before the controversy, last year’s nonpartisan Cook Political Report changed the general election outlook in Keene’s district from leaning Republican to flipping.
“Career politician Tom Keene Jr. has never been more vulnerable,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Eli Cousin said in a statement. “He will be held accountable for his betrayal of New Jersey families and the damage he caused when he actually traveled to Washington to vote.”
Despite these headwinds, Mr. Johnson, who will need every seat available in the midterm elections to keep Republicans in the majority, is confident Mr. Keene can pull through.
“He will be re-elected,” Johnson said. “I’m proud to be with him.”
Contributed by Edward Forbes, Northjersey.com
Zachary Schermele is a Congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You can email us at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and on Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.
Jennifer Boresen is a graphics reporter for USA TODAY.
