This archive report was first published on 17 December 2019.
On December 17, 2019, Representative Jeff Van Drew, a moderate Democrat from New Jersey, made headlines by switching to the Republican Party. The move was met with praise from President Trump, who tweeted that Mr. Van Drew was 'very smart.'
However, back home in New Jersey, Mr. Van Drew's decision was met with scorn from his constituents. Many Democrats saw his switch as a betrayal of the party's values, while Republicans were skeptical of his motives.
David Richter, a Republican businessman running for Mr. Van Drew's seat, called him a 'weasel' and accused him of making a 'craven bid' to protect his seat. Another Republican candidate, Brian Fitzherbert, described Mr. Van Drew's decision as 'desperation.'
Democrats were even more scathing in their criticism. Nearly all of Mr. Van Drew's Washington staff resigned over the weekend, with five staff members writing a letter stating that his decision to join the Republican Party did not align with the values they had brought to his office.
Mr. Van Drew's decision is likely to become a dominant issue in next year's election, with Democrats in the district who helped elect him last year already planning to challenge him. Brigid Harrison, a professor of political science at Montclair State University, announced that she would run to replace him, calling him a 'traitor.'
Despite the backlash, Mr. Van Drew has received support from some Republicans, including Assemblyman Jon Bramnick, who said he would 'take as many new Republicans as I can get in New Jersey.'
Senior advisers to President Trump have assured Mr. Van Drew that he would have the president's support in the primary, but it remains to be seen whether Republican voters will ultimately accept him as one of their own.
