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New Jersey Representative Tom Kean Jr. spent eight seconds completely silent during a congressional debate on Monday evening, refusing to answer whether or not he supports Donald Trump’s mass deportation immigration policy.
In the battle to maintain his seat in the Garden State’s 7th congressional district, Kean sparred with his opponent, Democrat Sue Altman, over reproductive rights, affordability, healthcare, democracy and more.
But when it comes to immigration, a contentious topic in the nation, Kean could not give a clear “yes” or “no” answer about whether he supports Trump’s plan to deport all immigrants.
The Republican rep initially swerved a question about the plan. Instead, giving a vague answer mimicking some of Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric about immigrants crossing the border to commit violent crimes in the United States.
Altman pressed him on it saying, “Congressman you just dodged the question Mr. Rasmussen asked you a very specific question would you support deporting migrants, yes or no?”
But Kean remained completely silent, and barely moving, for eight seconds.
Eventually, moderators cut in, allowing Altman to denounce the mass deportation plan as a “really, dark scary thing” before throwing the question back to Kean who once again repeated his vague statement from earlier.
Kean, the son of former New Jersey governor Tom Kean, has notoriously implored the silent treatment during his tenure as a U.S. representative
Over the last year, reporters have struggled to have even a basic conversation with the Republican representative because Kean refuses to talk about any of his policies or positions.
“Now I know how the reporters feel,” Altman joked.
The Independent has reached out to Kean’s team for comment.
Kean is generally considered a moderate Republican in Congress but often toes the line. Though he told constituents he supported abortion rights in 2022, he also voted against the Women’s Health Protection Act which would have codified abortion rights federally. He also voted in favor of the “Born-Alive” Act.
He has kept a distance from Trump but simultaneously endorsed him for president.
During the debate on Monday night, Kean shared some of Trump’s immigration views, like espousing rhetoric that insinuates many immigrants are criminals.
Kean is fighting to keep his seat in New Jersey’s 7th District which is considered a competitive race.
