NJ Politics Briefing: Kean Health, CD7 Ad Buy, Booker 2028

Rep. Tom Kean Jr. has missed recent House votes due to a health issue, and House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed Thursday he spoke with the New Jersey congressman by phone.

“I was happy to speak to Tom Kean, Jr. this afternoon by phone,” Johnson said. “He is attending to a personal health matter and expects to be back to 100% very soon. Tom is one of the most dedicated and hardest-working Members of Congress, and I am grateful for all he does and will continue to do to serve New Jerseyans and our country.”

Johnson’s statement offered no specifics on Kean’s condition or how long the 7th District Republican has been away from the floor.

The Kean news landed the same week New Jersey’s congressional races kept moving. In CD7, VoteVets launched a six-figure ad buy for Bennett. That’s real money this early in a cycle, and it signals the district stays a national target. In CD12, a pro-Palestinian Super PAC said it will spend $2 million backing Dr. Adam Hamawy, whose candidacy has drawn attention across the state. GOP strategist Karl Rove, according to NJ.com, put Sen. Cory Booker among the 2028 presidential contenders with the “elements” to win, a notable endorsement of Booker’s national standing even as he focuses on his Senate work, where he recently demanded answers on the Warner Brothers merger.

Booker’s query on the merger adds to a busy stretch for the senator.

Meanwhile, Governor Sherrill launched the “New Jersey Report Card,” a public-facing accountability tool, and plans to discuss her first 100 days in a live chat next week. The administration is also dealing with a standoff over immigration enforcement data: ICE has refused to provide the state with its figures, according to NJ.com, leaving state officials without visibility into federal operations happening inside New Jersey.

That’s a fight worth watching as the summer approaches.

The Port Authority committed to meeting an interim 35% greenhouse gas reduction target through 2035, according to ROI-NJ. The announcement puts a number on the agency’s climate obligations and gives advocates a benchmark to hold it to. Environmental groups have pushed the Port Authority for years to set measurable targets, and now there’s one on record.

On the World Cup front, GOP budget committee members called for hearings on FIFA costs and transparency, while experts separately warned that the 2026 tournament could increase human trafficking risks across host regions. New Jersey is a host state, and advocates have flagged that large sporting events historically draw exploitation networks. NJ Monitor reported on those warnings this week.

Hudson County Community College’s president will step down, according to BINJE, adding an institutional transition to a county already navigating significant political and economic change. Hudson County also saw PILOTS approved in Bayonne, per Hudson County View.

Across the state, local budget season is in full swing. In Atlantic City, Mayor Small said the budget will reduce the tax rate, according to the Press of Atlantic City, a piece of news that matters to a city that has fought for fiscal stability for over a decade. In Bridgewater, the sewer authority is eyeing a new headquarters, per MyCentralJersey. In Haddon Heights, a public hearing on the budget is scheduled. In Dumont, the former mayor was released on bail, per NJ Globe. In Chatham Borough, a police officer filed suit against the department, according to NJ Hills.

Legislatively, the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey hosted an Earth Day community clean-up event, a lower-stakes moment in a week filled with higher-stakes maneuvering.

Mejia, who overwhelmingly won a recent race and delivered a victory speech that drew attention for Democratic overperformance in the district, was officially sworn in. The CD7 race also saw Varela express encouragement at Mejia’s result, and Roth secured progressive backing. CD12 remains crowded on the Democratic side, with the Trentonian reporting that a packed primary field doesn’t automatically help any single candidate.

The week ended with more questions than answers on Kean’s timeline, on ICE’s data, and on how New Jersey’s congressional map reshapes itself before November.