Civibus

Biography

Thomas Howard Kean Jr. ( KAYN; born September 5, 1968) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for New Jersey's 7th congressional district since 2023. Previously, he represented New Jersey's 21st legislative district in the New Jersey Senate from 2003 to 2022, serving as minority leader from 2008 to 2022, and represented the same district in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2001 to 2003. First elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 2001, he was later elected to the New Jersey Senate in 2003. In 2006, Kean ran for U.S. Senate, losing to interim senator Bob Menendez. In January 2008, Kean became minority leader of the New Jersey Senate. After Governor Chris Christie's re-election in 2013, Christie unsuccessfully tried to remove him as minority leader. Kean was frequently named as a potential candidate for governor in 2017, but he did not run. He is a moderate member of the Republican Party. Kean was first elected to Congress in 2022, defeating incumbent Democrat Tom Malinowski in a rematch. He was re-elected in 2024, defeating former New Jersey Working Families Party director Sue Altman.

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