Congress

New Jersey Rep. Tom Kean Jr. says he’s ‘energized’ but appears to push back timeline for return

Published

4 months ago

June 2, 2026

New Jersey Rep. Tom Kean Jr., missing from public view for nearly three months with an undisclosed illness, said in a statement Tuesday he’s “more energized than ever” — but seemed to push back a timeline for his return to the Capitol.

He continued to withhold details of his illness and did not detail when he expects to be back in Washington.

Kean, who’s seeking a third term, faces no opposition in Tuesday’s Republican primary. Four Democrats are vying to unseat him.

“I am more energized than ever to keep fighting for the people of New Jersey’s 7th District. Right now I am focused on my recovery and under the advice of healthcare professionals, I will transition from virtual work to in person work within a matter of weeks,” Kean said. “At that time I will be completely transparent as to the nature of my medical condition. Once again, I appreciate all of the prayers and patience from my constituents and colleagues. I understand the need for transparency on this matter and I look forward to sharing my experience with the public.”

The 57-year-old Republican last voted on March 5, and his absence has been a national news story, with reporters scouring New Jersey and beyond for clues as to his whereabouts. The mystery comes as Kean faces what’s expected to be an extremely competitive reelection fight in his district, which he won by 5 points in 2024 — an unusually strong year in New Jersey for Republicans.

Kean has given just one interview to the press since March. He told New Jersey Globe on May 21 that he anticipated returning to voting and the campaign trail “in the next couple weeks.” His statement Tuesday that he will return to in-person work “within a matter of weeks” appears to push that timeline back.

The prolonged absence and President Donald Trump’s unpopularity have made Democrats more confident about ousting Kean, whose family has long been prominent in Garden State politics and whose father is the most popular former governor of New Jersey in modern times. Kean was also a state lawmaker for over 20 years.

Kean has also had to tamp down speculation that was starting to circulate among Republicans that he would not seek reelection.

Trump formally endorsed Kean in a social media post Monday night, saying the congressmember was “working tirelessly.”

“Serving the people of this district is the honor of my life,” Kean said. “Every day, I wake up determined to build on the results I have delivered for New Jersey families such as lowering costs, restoring the SALT deduction, funding our law enforcement, helping veterans, standing with Israel, strengthening our economy, and making government work better for the people it serves.”

The Democrats competing to take on Kean are Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot; Michael Roth, a former high-ranking Small Business Administration official; Tina Shah, a medical doctor; and Brian Varela, an entrepreneur who owns several daycare businesses.

The Democrats have treaded carefully on Kean’s absence, saying at a recent debate that they hope he recovers but they expressed frustration about his lack of communication.

“This campaign will offer a clear choice. While Washington Democrats continue pushing an agenda that is too extreme, too expensive, and out of step with New Jersey, I will continue putting our constituents first and working with anyone to get things done,” Kean said. “I am optimistic about the road ahead, and ready to earn the support of voters in every corner of this district. Together, we are going to win this race and continue delivering for New Jersey.”

Congress

Sanders to rally for Troy Jackson in Maine

Published

3 hours ago

October 2, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Sen. Bernie Sanders will hit the road for Troy Jackson in Maine starting Oct. 10, the first time the progressive leader will stump for the candidate this cycle.

The Vermont independent plans to hold three rallies with Jackson, according to an itinerary shared first with Blue Light News: first in Bangor on Oct. 10th followed by Lewiston and Biddeford on Oct. 11.

The Maine swing will kick off Sanders’ travel for the final stretch of the midterms, covering ground throughout October for House and Senate candidates, POLITICO reported.

“Bernie and Troy know that working people built this country and deserve a government that fights for them,” Jackson spokesperson Dan Gottlieb told Blue Light News. “Susan Collins has had nearly 30 years to deliver, and working Mainers are still getting squeezed while she serves the billionaires and corporate interests who bankroll her campaigns. Mainers don’t need another six years of excuses.”

Sanders campaigned ahead of major wins for progressives in the primary season, speaking at more than 60 rallies since last year’s Fight the Oligarchy tour and endorsing more than 90 candidates up and down the ballot.

He’s also opening his substantial $23 million campaign war chest, POLITICO reported, and contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars toMinnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan’s Senate campaign and others including Angie Nixon in Florida and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison,

Sanders will return to Maine after initially backing Graham Platner’s campaign for Senate. Allegations reported by POLITICO ultimately led him to call on the Democratic nominee to drop out of the race.

Sanders had not formally endorsed Jackson since he clinched the nomination from Platner, though he previously backed Jackson’s initial run for governor.

Congress

Hill: Trump’s ‘lack of favorability’ creating challenging politics

Published

3 hours ago

October 2, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

House Financial Services Chair French Hill said he has “no concerns” about winning back his Arkansas seat in the upcoming midterm elections, but the six-term House member acknowledged the political headwinds for his party.

“I consider the atmosphere a very tough political environment right now because of President [Donald] Trump’s lack of favorability at the top, and you know people are concerned about, as I say, what it’s like to live under an inflated economy the last four years,” Hill said in an interview.

Hill is in a solidly red district, according to the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, and said he is up against a “weaker candidate this time than I’ve had in past races.” Polling in the district, however, has shown a tighter race. The two polls done this year placed Democratic challenger Chris Jones ahead of Hill by a few percentage points. Any perceived polling victory for Jones is still well within the margin of error, and one of the polls had a Democratic sponsor.

Stephannie Lane Baker, a spokesperson for Jones, said that “of all the Republicans in Congress, the chairman of the Financial Services Committee doesn’t get to dodge responsibility for this economy. He’s in trouble, and he knows it.”

Additionally, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s PAC, Ready for the Fight, committed more than $1 million in television ads through the next five weeks for Jones’ race in Arkansas’s 2nd District, Jordan Abudayyeh, a spokesperson for the PAC confirmed. Overall Democratic spending on advertising for the race was just over $1 million, primarily made up by contributions from the Ready for the Fight PAC, with Republicans spending almost $2.7 million on ad buys, according to AdImpact, an advertising tracking service.

Hill said he has addressed affordability concerns “head on” this Congress.

“My work on housing, my work on the Price Stability Act, my work to try to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse, and drop the federal budget deficit as a percentage of GDP,” Hill said. “All these things can contribute to a more affordable environment for people. So I’ve tried to make that a forefront of my campaign this year.”

Hill was a key architect of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a bipartisan housing affordability bill that became law in July. The Price Stability Act, which is unlikely to become law this year, would narrow the Federal Reserve’s current dual mandate of pursuing maximum employment and price stability to focus exclusively on containing inflation.

Congress

Sanders, AOC, Merkley propose bill to ban Flock cameras

Published

9 hours ago

October 2, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) on Friday released text of legislation intended to ban the use of Flock surveillance cameras and other license plate readers.

Flock has faced severe public backlash against the surveillance technology following reports that police officers misused the technology to track women, and it has the largest network of license plate readers across the U.S. Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) hosted a hearing last month probing its potential misuses, although the company’s CEO Garrett Langley did not appear.

The latest bill, unveiled Friday and named the Ban Flock Act, would bar federal agencies from using automated license plate readers or accessing data from the technology and prevent federal grants from funding states and local governments that use automated license plate readers.

“At a time of growing concern about the unchecked power of artificial intelligence, Flock is eviscerating the very notion of privacy by installing tens of thousands of cameras in communities across America without their consent,” Sanders, who has positioned himself as a leading progressive voice on AI technology, said in a statement. “We cannot allow America to become a surveillance state where a handful of AI oligarchs profit by giving the government the power to track our every movement.”

Ocasio-Cortez similarly condemned the surveillance capabilities of the technology and said the bill would “enforce our constitutional right to privacy and protect Americans from both corporate and government surveillance.”

“No one should have this unchecked surveillance power at their fingertips,” Merkley added.

Republicans have introduced similar efforts to regulate license plate readers, such as Hawley’s Stop Flock Abuse Act, which would require audits and limits on unauthorized searches.

Flock did not immediately respond to a request for comment.