Mysteriously missing New Jersey congressman receives Trump endorsement

Republican Congressman Tom Kean Jr has not been seen successful Washington oregon his New Jersey hometown for months, but helium is expected to easy triumph his party's backing for re-election connected Tuesday, aft a caller endorsement from President Donald Trump.

"Tom Kean has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election," Trump wrote connected societal media, adding, "HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!"

Kean is moving unopposed truthful has not needed to run with voters. But US media study helium besides has not been successful Congress, and has missed much than 100 votes. He was past seen connected 5 March.

His unit said successful April that helium was dealing with a aesculapian issue. But Kean's continued lack has go a nationalist curiosity successful the US.

In his endorsement posted to Truth Social connected Monday, Trump wrote that Kean was a "Tremendous Advocate of our America First Agenda" and "is moving tirelessly".

Shortly aft his past ballot successful Congress successful March, colleagues, Republican officials and quality organisations reported concerns astir his whereabouts. Text messages went unanswered, arsenic did requests for interviews.

An adjutant told The New York Times, "There's nary cameras wherever Tom is."

In the connection released by his bureau connected 27 April, helium said helium expected to beryllium backmost soon.

"My doctors proceed to guarantee maine that my betterment volition beryllium implicit and that I volition beryllium backmost to the occupation I emotion precise soon," Kean said successful the statement, posted connected X.

"I expect to instrumentality to a afloat docket and beryllium astatine 100 percent."

Nearly a period later, Kean participated successful a telephone interrogation with the New Jersey Globe and reiterated his intent to tally for re-election and instrumentality to nationalist life.

"I recognize the request for nationalist transparency, and I admit the enactment of my constituents," helium said.

"I expect that successful the adjacent mates of weeks, I'll instrumentality to voting and to the run trail."

As voters began casting ballots successful the predetermination connected Tuesday, determination inactive had been nary reported sightings of Kean.

The territory helium represents is considered a plaything district, meaning it has a precocious propensity to flip betwixt Republicans and Democrats each predetermination cycle.

His volition beryllium a cardinal territory for Republicans to clasp connected to successful November's midterm elections, which volition find the equilibrium of powerfulness successful Congress. Democrats are looking to unseat him and displacement powerfulness their mode and present Trump a loss.

Trump's endorsement of Kean fixed the stakes is unsurprising. The US president besides has not shied distant from endorsing candidates, adjacent arsenic they tribunal contention - oregon mystery.

Kean, aft his apt triumph connected Tuesday, volition look disconnected against the Democrats' chosen campaigner to unseat him during the November midterm elections.