Van Drew, set to switch parties, will vote as a Democrat on impeachment

The Hill ^ | December 18, 2019 | Mike Lillis

[be-baw]

Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-N.J.) might be poised to jump to the GOP, but the New Jersey freshman will remain a Democrat at least through Wednesday's votes on articles of impeachment.

"This is a big vote. I started discussing this issue and my concerns with it as a Democrat. I think it's appropriate," Van Drew told The Hill Wednesday afternoon, just hours before the impeachment votes. He is expected to vote no on both articles.

The comments came just moments after Van Drew had exited the cloak room of the House chamber — on the Republican side.

[allendale]

Sorry. But if a mature adult once identified as a Democrat, he can never be trusted regardless of what he calls himself.

[Alberta's Child]

The Republican he replaced in 2018 -- Frank LoBiondo -- had an American Conservative Union rating of around 35% by the time he retired.

What Freepers from other parts of the U.S. need to understand is that a truly conservative House candidate will lose by a landslide in at least 9 of the state's 12 House districts. This state is filled with losers, stunted misfits, and some of the most ignorant voters you'll ever meet.

[doomtrooper99]

Democrat party can’t be reformed. It can only get worse. I am glad he is switching sides.

Welcome to the party...

[Alberta's Child]

But if a mature adult once identified as a Democrat, he can never be trusted regardless of what he calls himself.

You mean like Ronald Reagan -- or Donald Trump?

[Pollard]

He’s one of many Blue Dog Coalition Caucus members. I would hope he tried to convince other 24 members to vote against impeachment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Van_Drew#Caucus_memberships

It would be a wonderful thing if they don’t get quite enough votes tonight.

[babble-on]

Have any other Dems said they’re voting against? With all the publicity this guy has gotten I guess I would have heard if there were any others.

[napscoordinator]

He’s voting as a democrat. That’s all that matters.

[b4me]

if he truly wanted to switch he would do so before the impeachemnt vote and vote according to republican views etc. he is just trying to get best of both worlds - impeach trump then pretend to be republican and take a spot in future elections from a more real nj republican - whatever that is.

[Alberta's Child]

Look at the information in that link and check out Van Drew's last New Jersey State Senate election in 2017.

He won that election with 65% of the vote.

When he ran for the House in 2018 and won, an interim replacement was named for the rest of 2019. They just had a special election last month to fill the seat on a permanent basis, and the Republican candidate won.

THIS is why Jeff Van Drew hasn't been on board with the Pelosi-Schiff-Nadler impeachment agenda.

[Mr. K]

Vote no as a democrat then switch parties?

Good- he will need to after voting no.

[max americana]

I was one of the many here who didnt trust this asshole. Once a Dummycrat, always a Dummycrat.

If this puke had any integrity, he would run as an “independent”.

[romanesq]

“Van Drew is actually our Congressman.”

All the bellyaching and sad inaccuracy means nothing except your vote in Van Drew’s district.

Today Van Drew will be one of the Dem votes against impeachment. Great.

Godspeed to you both.

[Pearls Before Swine]

What? I’m having trouble understanding this.

“Votes as a Democrat” has nothing to do with “voting of conscience.” (It never does.)

But why switch if you are going to adhere to Party loyalty in your vote? If the issue is a bad one, shouldn’t you vote against it, even before you jump ship?

[madison10]

You knew I was a snake when you took me in...

[Kaslin]

Ronald Reagan was a democrat when he was an actor, then he woke up and became a conservative Republican

[Notthereyet]

Pres Reagan and Pres Trump are considered turncoat.

The early Apostles as well as Paul were considered heretics.

Add this man to you prayer list for strength.

[tomkat]

But if a mature adult once identified as a Democrat, he can never be trusted regardless of what he calls himself.

             

[Lurkinanloomin]

This state is filled with losers, stunted misfits, and some of the most ignorant voters you’ll ever meet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And far too many of them moved to Virginia, I only wish we could deport them back to New Jersey.

[A Navy Vet]

"Sorry. But if a mature adult once identified as a Democrat, he can never be trusted regardless of what he calls himself."

Don't agree. There are a number of dim/socialists who have switched parties and became out-spoken conservatives against that corrupt party. Tammy Bruce is one, and there are others. I see them on Tucker, Laura, and Shannon (now my favorite). No, I don't watch Hannity - same talking points every night. There are even a few here on FR that have found the socialist errors of the dim ideology.

[Vigilanteman]

You are dead-on right. I can't even repeat the jokes I hear in SW Pennsylvania about NJ or I would be banned from this forum.

It is enough to say that they make the jokes we tell on West Virginia mild and polite by comparison.