Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) finally explained on Sunday what exactly prompted him to break away from the Democratic Party: The pressure to impeach President Donald Trump.
In an interview with Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” host Maria Bartiromo, Van Drew recalled a conversation he’d had with a New Jersey county chair as being the “final sign” that he needed to switch to the GOP.
“‘You’ve got to vote for impeachment,'” Van Drew quoted the chair as saying. “‘If you don’t, you’re not going to be able to run in my county.'”
The ex-Democrat said he was bothered by how his “own individual opinion” on the issue was “not going to be allowed.”
“And that’s when I knew,” he told the Fox News host. “I had been thinking about it for a while.”
Van Drew officially switched to the Republican Party the day after he voted against impeaching Trump as a Democrat on Wednesday. Sitting in the Oval Office with Trump on Thursday, the new Republican told the President he had his “undying support.”
Watch Van Drew below:
Rep. Jeff Van Drew: Being told to vote for impeachment was the "final sign" for me to switch to the GOP. pic.twitter.com/VoFJl0vgkB
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) December 22, 2019
