Dec 14, 2019

Rep. Jeff Van Drew expected to switch parties, become Republican

Rep. Jeff Van Drew in the Capitol on Dec. 4. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a moderate freshman Democrat who said he plans to oppose articles of impeachment against President Trump, is expected to flip parties and become a Republican, a White House official briefed on the matter tells Axios' Jonathan Swan.

The big picture: Van Drew has voted against Trump on nearly all issues except impeachment, according to data gathered by FiveThirtyEight. The congressman did side with the president when the House voted to hold Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in criminal contempt of Congress over the failed 2020 Census citizenship question. Van Drew represents a congressional district that Trump won by nearly five points in the 2016 election.

Go deeper: House Democrat plans to oppose articles of impeachment

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Axios

Trump announces Rep. Jeff Van Drew will join Republican Party

Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

President Trump announced in the Oval Office Thursday that New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew will join the Republican Party.

Why it matters: Van Drew, elected as a Democrat in the 2018 midterms, was one of only two House Democrats who voted against both articles of impeachment on Wednesday night. He represents a congressional district that Trump won by nearly 5 points in the 2016 election.

Go deeper: Aides, campaign team resign from Van Drew's office over expected GOP switch

Keep ReadingDec 19, 2019

Jacob Knutson

Rep. Jeff Van Drew to vote against impeachment as a Democrat

Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Freshman New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew told CNN's Manu Raju on Wednesday that he plans to vote against both articles of impeachment against President Trump as a Democrat.

Why it matters: A White House official told Axios' Jonathan Swan that Van Drew is expected to flip parties and become a Republican soon. Van Drew's statement ensures that House Democrats will have at least one defector Wednesday in the full House vote. But Democratic members and committee staffers have told Axios' Alayna Treene they expect four to six moderate Democrats to break ranks and vote against impeaching Trump.

Go deeper: The House Democrats supporting impeachment from districts Trump won

Keep ReadingDec 18, 2019

Rebecca Falconer

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

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.

Go deeperUpdated Dec 18, 2019