Although it is great that New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew is switching from the Democrat to the Republican party in principle, there are many questions that still hang above the freshman congressman’s head, especially since very recently he was a “proud Democrat” and endorsed Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) for president.
After the news of Van Drew’s flip to Republican, it sparked harsh criticism from Democrats, who insisted that he is a Benedict Arnold and a traitor. And in many ways, these Democrats are 100% correct.
Overnight, one does not simply change their entire political philosophy, after cosponsoring rabidly partisan bills, such as the “Promoting Renewable Energy with Shared Solar Act of 2019,” which is propped up by climate change conspiracy theorist Rep. Deb Haaland (D-NM).
Also, Rep. Van Drew endorsed far-left Democrat Cory Booker and exclaimed that he is a “proud Democrat” in his vote against impeachment. Suddenly now, he’s not proud, and he retracts his support for Booker?
Public polling shows that only 24 percent of Van Dew’s electorate says he “deserves to be re-elected,” while 60 percent want someone else. The poll shows that he might not even survive his Democrat primary in 2020, so out of mere survival, he is jumping to the other side for dear life.
Republican challenger Brian Fitzherbert railed against Van Drew, saying “How stupid does Desperate Jeff Van Drew think South Jersey Republicans are? Desperate Jeff knew exactly what Washington Democrats were about when he ran for Congress two years ago.”
David Richter, another Republican candidate for the party’s nomination in the district, called Van Drew an “absolute weasel.”
Although I disagree with the liberals in their entire philosophy, their outrage is reasonable, especially since Van Drew appears he is changing the game since he sees his career-ending if he doesn’t. Van Drew appears as an opportunist, and both the left and the right are correct in brushing him off.