Representative Tom Kean Jr. returned to the House floor on Tuesday and disclosed that he had been hospitalised for depression, ending a nearly four-month absence that began on 5 March. His reappearance restores a vote to the Republican majority, which has operated with a margin of only a handful of seats, and removes a source of uncertainty for party leaders ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Kean’s prolonged disappearance had been attributed only to a “personal health matter,” generating frustration in Washington and in his suburban New Jersey district. He missed more than 140 votes, including on the administration’s tax-and-spending package and a war-powers resolution. During his treatment, he executed five stock trades and introduced legislation, actions that Democrats argue undercut the claim of incapacitation. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he had encouraged Kean to be more transparent, noting the congressman remained in contact with his office throughout.

Viewed from New Jersey, the 7th district is one of the most competitive in the country, having flipped between parties in recent cycles. President Trump narrowly carried it in 2024 and has issued a full endorsement of Kean. The Democratic nominee, former Navy helicopter pilot Rebecca Bennett, has expressed sympathy for Kean’s health while attacking his voting record and the stock trades. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has placed Bennett in its “Red to Blue” programme, a designation that channels party resources to targeted races.

Kean’s return allows him to resume campaigning and voting, but the episode has given Democrats an opening to question his reliability. The midterm election in November will test whether voters in a district that backed Biden in 2020 and Trump in 2024 prioritise the incumbent’s health narrative or the challenger’s argument that the seat needs more consistent representation.