Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., has not been seen on Capitol Hill for more than a month and has missed nearly 50 House votes, according to reports, raising questions about his status as Republicans work to maintain a narrow majority.

Kean, who represents New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, has not cast a recorded vote since March 5. Data cited by GovTrack indicates he missed more than 20% of votes between January and March 2026, while colleagues told reporters they have been unable to contact him in recent weeks.

Fellow New Jersey Republicans Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew said they have attempted to reach Kean by phone and text without success. Other members of the GOP conference have not publicly addressed the situation.

Individuals familiar with Kean’s office and campaign told Politico the congressman has been dealing with unspecified health issues and is expected to return in the coming weeks, though no official statement has been released by his office.

Kean, who is running unopposed in the Republican primary, faces a competitive general election. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report has rated the race a “toss-up,” citing shifting political trends in the district and expectations of a stronger Democratic challenger.

The district has become increasingly competitive in recent election cycles. Donald Trump carried the 7th District by roughly one percentage point in the 2024 presidential election after losing it in 2020. Kean first won the seat in 2022, defeating former Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski after a previous narrow loss.

Political developments in nearby districts have also drawn attention. In New Jersey’s 11th District, Democrat Analilia Mejia recently won a special election to replace Gov. Mikie Sherrill, maintaining Democratic control of that seat.

Kean is the son of former New Jersey Gov. Thomas Kean, who served from 1982 to 1990.

His absence comes as House Republicans navigate a slim majority, with recent vacancies and member absences complicating vote counts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.