Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL), an 83-year-old from Miami who is currently serving in her seventh term, has missed an entire month of votes in D.C., due to having surgery on her left eye. The problem is that her social media posts are reposts from over a year ago, leaving constituents in the dark about her condition. Wilson, who is known for wearing flamboyant outfits and colorful cowboy hats, is not alone in her absence.
The very reason news outlets are covering her story to begin with is because a Republican congressman has also been missing from the House for over two months. Rep. Tom Kean (R-NJ) has been battling an undisclosed health condition that has caused him to miss over 70 roll call votes. Wilson, too, has been missing a number of critical votes in the House.
No one from Kean’s office or within GOP leadership has provided details as to why he’s missed every vote since March 5. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is just as in the dark about Kean’s condition as everyone else, saying that all he knows is that Kean is experiencing a “personal medical issue.” Wilson, who is allegedly planning on running for reelection in November 2026, has not participated in a vote since April 17.
According to a report from People, the flashy congresswoman has already missed a total of 51 votes as of May 15, 2026, including several efforts to vote on withdrawing the U.S. from its war with Iran. Wilson’s social media presence has continued in her absence, though Capitol Hill correspondent Jaime Dupree pointed out that these recent posts contain older photos, including one from October 2025.
“Following left eye surgery, my priority has been ensuring a full and responsible recovery,” Wilson went on to say in a May 14 statement following news reports and speculation concerning her absence. “Although I am currently unable to fly under my doctors’ orders, my work has not stopped for a single day.” Wilson’s statement also revealed that she has met with several sorority groups to present them with checks, though that event may have taken place on May 7, which featured a post of her handing out giant checks with the date written on them.
Wilson also revealed in her statement that she met with local officials from the City of Opa-locka during her break from D.C. to meet with Miami-Dade and Broward counties’ school districts, along with the mayor of Miramar, Florida. During a press event at Florida’s Jungle Island, Wilson talked with members of the press and confirmed that she had undergone eye surgery and would be returning back to work in the nation’s capital soon.
“You take care of everyone, but you’ve got to take care of yourself this time.’ So I’ve been postponing and postponing and postponing, and then I said, ‘Stop,’ ” she told local news outlet WPLG. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke with reporters on Capitol Hill concerning Wilson’s absence, saying that the congresswoman “is recovering from a procedure and I expect she’ll be back shortly.”
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