Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. Divulges Reason for Mysterious Absence From Washington

Representative Thomas Kean Jr. has been absent from Congress for almost 2 months and no one knew why ... until now.

On Monday -- after weeks of missed votes -- the Congressman from New Jersey posted on X that he's been having a "personal medical issue" ... but didn't go into specifics.

He did say he's expected to bounce back from the mysterious ailment, writing ... "My doctors continue to assure me that my recovery will be complete and that I will be back to the job I love very soon. I expect to return to a full schedule and be at 100 percent."

Kean thanked his fellow congressmen for their "patience and understanding" ... which is something he does not seem to be getting from his constituents right now.

This is the first time the House Republican has acknowledged his absence ... and he's getting flamed in the comments.

Many people are noting they would've been fired from their jobs if they went AWOL without saying why ... and some are calling for his resignation, even if he is sick.

It's worth noting that Rep. Kean is up for re-election this year, and is the only Republican on the ballot in his district. Meanwhile, there are 4 Democrats vying for his seat.