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Rep. Tom Kean Jr. says he expects to return to Congress ‘in the next couple of weeks’ after missing 100 votes

Rep. Tom Kean Jr. says he expects to return to Congress ‘in the next couple of weeks’ after missing 100 votes

Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., said Thursday that he expects to return to Congress “in the next couple of weeks” after missing 100 consecutive House votes during an extended absence tied to what his office has described only as a “personal health matter.” “My doctors are confident that I’m on the road to a full recovery,” Kean, 57, told the New Jersey Globe in his first public comments since stepping away from Capitol Hill in March. “I understand the need for public transparency, and I appreciate the support of my constituents,” he added. “I anticipate that in the next couple of weeks, I’ll return to voting and to the campaign trail.” Kean last voted on March 5 and has missed every House roll call vote since then, according to GovTrack. His absence has drawn heightened attention because Republicans hold a slim majority in the House and because Kean represents one of the country’s most competitive congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. TOM KEAN JR’S PROLONGED ABSENCE PUTS PRESSURE ON HOUSE REPUBLICANS’ RAZOR-THIN MAJORITY His office has repeatedly declined to disclose details about the illness, saying only that the congressman is focused on recovery and expected to return “soon.” Fox News Digital reached out to a representative for Kean for additional comment. Last week, Kean’s father, former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean Sr., told NJ.com that his son was recovering from a “serious illness.” “You can’t say definitely, but their best guess is now he’ll be out in two or three weeks,” Kean Sr. said, referring to doctors treating his son. “Any time you’ve been through a serious illness, you can’t be 100% the day you get back. You’re gonna be able to do things, but gradually ramping up.” COMPLEX PARTIAL SEIZURE RULED AS CAUSE OF PAUSING EPISODE DURING HOUSE FLOOR SPEECH, DEM CONGRESSMAN SAYS Kean Sr. also said doctors expect his son to make a full recovery but declined to discuss the diagnosis. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters this week that he had spoken with Kean recently but was unaware of details surrounding the congressman’s condition. “We’re expecting him back here soon. He’s had a medical issue,” Johnson said Wednesday. “I don’t even know the details.” JOHNSON WARNS HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO ‘STAY HEALTHY’ AS GOP MAJORITY SHRINKS TO THE EDGE The absence has become a growing political issue in New Jersey as Democrats target Kean’s swing district. Kean is running unopposed in the Republican primary on June 2, while several Democrats are competing for their party’s nomination. Earlier this month, a top Kean aide told The New York Times, “There’s no cameras where Tom is.” Kean consultant Harrison Neely said this week the congressman remains committed to seeking reelection. “What I can tell you is that the congressman is dealing with a personal health matter. He is focused on his recovery,” Neely told the New York Post. Fox News Digital’s Adam Pack contributed to this report.

Texas congressional candidate claims she never called for ‘internment camps’ after party leaders condemn her

Texas congressional candidate claims she never called for ‘internment camps’ after party leaders condemn her

A Texas Democratic congressional candidate who pledged to convert an immigration detention center near San Antonio “into a prison for American Zionists” clarified her position Thursday following sharp criticism from members of her own party. Maureen Galindo, who is running for a House seat in the newly redrawn 35th Congressional District, posted a video on Facebook days after criticizing wealthy supporters of Israel. She claimed that following her initial remarks, she received hundreds of “death threats” and other “vile” messages. “I never said I want Jews in internment camps,” Galindo said. “I said I want to close all ICE detention centers and put billionaire American Zionists who are funding the genocidal prison systems involved in trafficking into prison.” “If they committed a crime, do they not belong in prison?” she added. TEXAS DEMOCRAT MAUREEN GALINDO FACES BACKLASH FOR PLEDGING TO IMPRISON ‘AMERICAN ZIONISTS’ AT ICE FACILITY “I’m against all internment camps and would like to see them all shut down ASAP, starting with the many in South Texas,” Galindo said, referring to U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities. Galindo accused the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) of coordinating statements against her in an effort to back her primary runoff opponent, Johnny Garcia, a former hostage negotiator and public information officer for the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. She also accused a local journalist, whom she claimed “literally wants me dead,” of fabricating the “internment camps” comment. The backlash began when Galindo stated in an Instagram post earlier this month that she would turn the “Karnes ICE Detention Center into a prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers for human trafficking.” DEMOCRATS VOW TO VOTE ‘EVERY SINGLE DAY’ TO EXPEL FELLOW DEM FROM CONGRESS IF SHE WINS MIDTERM “It will also be a castration processing center for pedophiles, which will probably be most of the Zionists,” Galindo wrote. In other social media posts, Galindo, a family therapist and housing advocate, accused Garcia of wanting “Jews and Mexicans in warehouses.” She also accused “billionaire Zionists” of controlling trafficking networks in San Antonio and South Texas. The condemnation was swift. Notable Democrats have distanced themselves from her, including Texas State Representative James Talarico, U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. TEXAS DEM SENATE PRIMARY FRACTURES OVER RACE RHETORIC AS ‘MEDIOCRE’ JAB, ‘OPPRESSOR’ REMARKS IGNITE BACKLASH Additionally, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene issued a joint statement calling her rhetoric “vile” and “disqualifying.” Earlier this month, the DCCC accused “Washington Republicans” of secretly contributing to Galindo’s campaign through dark money spending. Galindo and Garcia, who has been endorsed by the DCCC, are set to face off in a runoff election next week. In their first matchup, Galindo had a narrow lead over Garcia, 29% to 27%, though neither candidate came close to clearing the 50% threshold required to win the nomination. Fox News Digital has reached out to the DCCC. Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.