Rep. Jeff Van Drew (New Jersey) switched from the Democrat to the Republican Party after casting his vote in opposition to impeaching President Trump on Wednesday as a Democrat. He explained to Maria Bartiromo on ‘Sunday Morning Futures’ that he made the decision to change his party affiliation after someone in his state’s Democrat leadership basically ordered him to vote in favor of impeaching the president.
Rep. Jeff Van Drew speaks out for first time since switching parties https://t.co/gCSQTPT4ky @CongressmanJVD@SundayFutures @FoxNews
— Maria Bartiromo (@MariaBartiromo) December 22, 2019
Van Drew started by noting that the ideological shift in the Democrat Party has been weighing on him.
“The party is moving further and further to the left, where there is discussion of it being a socialist party. And I am a proud capitalist. I believe in hard work. I believe that we can give people opportunity, but that they also, when they get that opportunity, have to work hard to achieve success. You can’t give them success.”
However, he says the tipping point was something he was told concerning his impeachment vote.
“But the final sign for me was oddly enough actually in my home county when one of the county chairmen came to me and said, ‘I have to speak with you.’ I said, ‘Sure.’ He said, ‘I just want to let you know that you have to vote for impeachment … If you don’t, you’re not going to be able to run in my county.'”
Rep. Van Drew says that’s when he knew he was going to change, even though he had been thinking about it for a while.
.@congressmanJVD said he decided to leave the Democratic Party when a party county chairman ordered him to vote to impeach @realdonaldtrump.https://t.co/5icV48AOM4
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) December 22, 2019
Very, very interesting. https://t.co/rewl5sguda
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) December 22, 2019
As Bartiromo pointed out in the interview, Van Drew is one of two Democrats who voted against both articles of impeachment on Wednesday. He called the impeachment articles “thin” and “weak.”
“This impeachment is a weak, thin impeachment that just doesn't really mean anything much to most of the American people. It has been a long, dark, shadow on our country.” –@CongressmanJVD pic.twitter.com/cH0EN20D3A
— GOP (@GOP) December 22, 2019
Van Drew’s new party head, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California), welcomed him to his new home this past week.
RT to welcome @CongressmanJVD to the Republican Party.
Look forward to working with you, Jeff!
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) December 19, 2019
Van Drew touted his belief in American exceptionalism, something he says Democrats told him was wrong.
***
Join the conversation as a VIP Member