Rep. Tom Kean says depression treatment led to House absence

Rep. Tom Kean Jr. told the House on Tuesday that treatment for depression was behind his months-long absence from Congress, according to the Associated Press. The disclosure matters because Kean’s absence had reduced an already small Republican voting margin in the House and had drawn attention in a competitive New Jersey district.

Kean, a New Jersey Republican in his second term, said in a brief floor speech that he had kept details private because he is a private person, the AP reported. He described depression as both physical and emotional and said it can be hard to grasp its force without experiencing it.

Kean said he initially went to the hospital because of health concerns and underwent testing, according to the AP. He did not provide additional medical details, and the AP reported that he left the Capitol quickly after the speech without taking questions from reporters.

The congressman last voted in the House on March 5, the AP reported. His return came after he won an uncontested primary on June 2 and after months in which his condition had not been explained publicly.

Kean also addressed earlier expectations that he would be back within weeks, saying that was what he believed at the time and what his doctors had estimated, according to the AP. He said that more than 48 million Americans are being treated for the illness and that recovery does not follow a set timetable.

“Today I stand before you healthier, stronger and excited to return to the work that I love,” Kean said, according to the AP.

Speaker says there was no scandal

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., spoke before Kean’s remarks and said he expected people to respond with empathy, the AP reported. Johnson said he had urged Kean to be transparent with colleagues and the public about why he had been away.

Johnson said there was “no conspiracy” and “nothing scandalous” about the absence, according to the AP. He added that if he were in Kean’s position, he would have offered more specifics, and said he believed Kean would win reelection easily in November.

A closely watched New Jersey race

Kean represents a battleground district that includes President Donald Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, according to the AP. His office has said he remains a candidate for reelection.

The AP reported that Kean is set to face Democrat Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, in what is expected to be New Jersey’s most closely watched House race in November. Democrats have identified the district as a pickup target after the seat changed parties in the last two midterm elections.

Kean won the seat in 2022 by defeating Democrat Tom Malinowski, according to the AP. Malinowski had won it in 2018 by beating Republican Leonard Lance.

Trump has endorsed Kean’s reelection bid, the AP reported, though the endorsement did not refer to Kean’s absence. Kean is part of a prominent New Jersey political family: the AP reported that his great-grandfather served as a senator, his grandfather served in Congress and his father, Tom Kean Sr., was a two-term governor.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.