Updated Dec 18, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Aides, campaign team resign from Rep. Jeff Van Drew's office over expected GOP switch

Rebecca Falconer

Jeff Van Drew (D-NJ) speaks to members of the media outside a closed House Democrats organizational meeting at Longworth House Office Building November 28, 2018 — Jeff Van Drew speaks with reporters in Washington, D.C. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Eight staffers, two advisers and the entire re-election campaign team serving freshman Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-N.J.) have resigned ahead of his expected switch to the Republican Party over the impeachment inquiry.

Driving the news: Van Drew, a moderate Democrat, said this month that he planned to oppose articles of impeachment against President Trump. On Saturday, a White House official told Axios' Jonathan Swan that Van Drew planned to switch parties over the matter.

Six Washington, D.C. staff members, two District staffers, two advisers and the full campaign team quit after being informed of Van Drew's decision, Mackenzie Lucas, Van Drew's former communications director, told Axios' Alayna Treene.
The first group of five aides announced their resignation in a letter to Van Drew on Sunday, Lucas said.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Rep. Cheri Bustos offered to help the staffers find new jobs in a tweet sharing a report of the news by Politico, which broke the story.

Read the resignation letter.

Go deeper: Democrats expect handful of defections on impeachment vote

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details added including six Washington, D.C. staff members, two District staffers, two advisers and the full campaign team quitting.

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Aides, campaign team resign from Rep. Jeff Van Drew's office over expected GOP switch

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