Rep. Tom Kean Jr. returns to Congress and reveals depression diagnosis caused his four-month absence.
Photo: Washington Examiner
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Rep. Tom Kean Jr. returns to Congress and reveals depression diagnosis caused his four-month absence.

Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ) returned to the House floor on June 30, 2026, after a nearly four-month absence, announcing in a speech that he had been hospitalized for depression. Kean had last voted on March 5 and missed over 100 votes while his office provided only vague statements about a personal medical issue. He faces Democrat Rebecca Bennett in the November midterm elections.

17
Divergence score
18 outlets covered it, splitting into 17 framing camps across 4 bias groups.
17 camps
4 bias groups
The spectrum · how 18 outlets placed this story
LeftCenterRight
Washington Examiner
Politico
Washington Times
CNN
NPR
Mother Jones
Axios
BBC
Breitbart
PBS NewsHour
The Hill
NBC News
NY Post
New York Times
Bloomberg
Daily Wire
HuffPost
Washington Post
Horizontal = outlet biasColor = this story's framing
Supportive of action
Neutral
Dismissive
Critical
Alarmist
International angle
Widest split · the two outlets furthest apart, and who published first
Furthest apart on this story
Washington Examiner
Tom Kean reveals prolonged absence from Congress was because of depression
personal recovery narrative · neutral
Mother Jones
Tom Kean Jr. Sought Help for Depression. He Hasn't Made It Easy for Others To Do the Same.
hypocrisy and voting record critique · negative
How Washington Examiner and Mother Jones compare across every story →
First to report
  1. CNNfirst
  2. Politico+16.7 h
  3. Bloomberg+23.6 h
  4. NY Post+23.7 h
  5. Washington Examiner+23.8 h
  6. New York Times+23.9 h
  7. NBC News+24.0 h
  8. HuffPost+24.0 h
  9. Axios+24.3 h
  10. Washington Times+24.4 h
  11. PBS NewsHour+24.7 h
  12. NPR+24.8 h
By each outlet's earliest publish time in this story. Feeds that index slowly can appear later than they printed.
The split, in one line
Coverage now splits between mental health as personal medical disclosure versus accountability for legislative absence, with HuffPost emphasizing Kean's privacy struggle while other outlets probe voting record contradictions and transparency timing.
How each outlet covered it

Broad agreement on what happened

Outlets across the spectrum land in roughly the same place: the shared language is highlighted.

THE LEFT6 outlets · mostly critical
“Tom Kean Says Depression Led to Long Absence From Congress”
T New York Times LEFT
17LOW DIVERGENCE
THE RIGHT5 outlets · mostly neutral
“GOP Rep. Tom Kean Jr. reveals reason behind mysterious absence as he returns to Congress after nearly 4 months”
NYP NY Post RIGHT
DOWN THE MIDDLE

“Kean returns to House, says depression diagnosis led to four-month absence” · Politico, Axios, BBC, PBS NewsHour, The Hill, Bloomberg

+Hide the full sourcingSee how all 18 outlets put it
LEFT6
CNNCNN After mysterious four-month absence, GOP congressman arrives back on Capitol Hill 91d ago NPRNPR Rep. Tom Kean returns to Congress, says depression is why he went missing for months 90d ago MJMother Jones Tom Kean Jr. Sought Help for Depression. He Hasn't Made It Easy for Others To Do the Same. 90d ago TNew York Times Tom Kean Says Depression Led to Long Absence From Congress 90d ago HPHuffPost Tom Kean Finally Explains His Absence From Washington 90d ago WPWashington Post Congressman says depression diagnosis caused months-long absence - The Washington Post 90d ago
LEFT-CENTER1
NBCNBC News Rep. Kean announces he was treated for depression during four-month absence 90d ago
CENTER5
PPolitico Kean returns to House, says depression diagnosis led to four-month absence 91d ago AAxios Rep. Tom Kean discloses depression diagnosis upon return from months-long absence 90d ago PBSPBS NewsHour WATCH: Rep. Tom Kean Jr. says he was recovering from depression during months-long absence from Congress 90d ago HThe Hill Ritchie Torres says he sympathizes with New Jersep Rep. Kean's depression but urges greater transparency 90d ago BLBloomberg New Jersey Congressman Kean Says He Was Treated for Depression 90d ago
RIGHT5
WEWashington Examiner Tom Kean reveals prolonged absence from Congress was because of depression 90d ago WTWashington Times New Jersey GOP Rep. Tom Kean discloses depression diagnosis after return to Congress from absence 90d ago BBreitbart Tom Kean Reveals Depression Treatment After Four-Month Absence from Congress 90d ago NYPNY Post GOP Rep. Tom Kean Jr. reveals reason behind mysterious absence as he returns to Congress after nearly 4 months 90d ago DWDaily Wire Congressman Gone MIA Reveals He Missed 3 Months Of Work Due To Depression 90d ago
INTERNATIONAL1
BBCBBC Missing US congressman explains mysterious four-month absence 90d ago
8 tracked claims across 18 outlets
Fact ledger
All8Claimed3Corroborated5
4/18
Claimed
Kean stated that approximately 48 million Americans are being treated for depression.
Corroborated
Disputed
7 more tracked claimsSign up free to see the full ledger
Event #12087 · analyzed at 2026-07-05T03:54 UTC · last updated 90d ago