- New Jersey Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. returned to Congress on Tuesday after a nearly four-month absence.
- Kean attributed his prolonged disappearance from public view to treatment for depression. “It is physical, it is emotional, and until you experience it yourself, it is difficult to fully understand how powerful this illness can be," he said on the House floor.
- Kean’s reappearance comes after he won an uncontested primary on June 2 and months since he last voted in the House. “Today I stand before you healthier, stronger and excited to return to the work that I love," Kean said.
- His absence complicated matters for House Republican leaders, who are operating with a razor-thin majority, and he missed over 100 votes.
- The lawmaker is campaigning for re-election in a competitive district and will face Democratic nominee Rebecca Bennett. Democrats view Kean Jr.'s district as a key opportunity, noting its history of changing hands in recent midterm elections.
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