GOP Rep. Tom Kean Jr. ousted in New Jersey reelection bid after monthslong absence

Washington — Democrat Rebecca Bennett ousted GOP Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, CBS News projected. 

The two-term congressman missed months of votes earlier this year as he was secretly being treated for depression. Kean did not disclose the diagnosis or his hospitalization until he returned to Washington in late June — nearly four months after his absence became apparent. 

In a speech on the House floor upon his return, Kean said “there is no timeline for recovery” for depression. But the lack of details about his condition during his extended absence renewed the debate about how transparent elected officials should have to be about their health. 

Kean was one of the most vulnerable House Republicans this cycle. Weeks before the election, the Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC allied with House Speaker Mike Johnson, shifted resources away from Kean’s race to other critical contests, foreshadowing the 7th District outcome. 

Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, had a fundraising edge over Kean according to their most recent quarterly Federal Election Commission filings. Bennett reported raising about $3.9 million from July through September, while Kean reported less than $1 million over the same period. Through the whole election season, Bennett raised nearly $8.2 million compared to Kean’s nearly $5.9 million. 

Kean, a former state lawmaker, was elected to Congress in 2022. He defeated the Democratic incumbent, Rep. Tom Malinowski, flipping the district for the second time since the 2018 election. 

Since August, both House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries campaigned with their respective candidates in the district, signaling its importance to the parties as they vie for control of the lower chamber.