Van Drew, set to switch parties, will vote as a Democrat on impeachment

Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-N.J.) might be poised to jump to the GOP, but the New Jersey freshman will remain a Democrat at least through Wednesday’s vote on articles of impeachment.

“This is a big vote. I started discussing this issue and my concerns with it as a Democrat. I think it’s appropriate,” Van Drew told The Hill Wednesday afternoon, just hours before the impeachment vote. He is expected to vote “no” on both articles.

The comments came just moments after Van Drew had exited the cloak room of the House chamber — on the Republican side.

Van Drew, a former dentist and state lawmaker representing South Jersey, had emerged as the most vocal Democratic critic of the party’s impeachment effort. After weeks railing against the process, he met with President Trump on Friday, and a day later reports leaked that he’s set to switch parties and join the GOP.

On Wednesday, he didn’t specify a timeline surrounding the announcement but said it was imminent.

“All of that’s going to be clear really soon,” he said. “I’m going through the process now, just really getting my house in order. I’m making sure that we have a cogent presentation and discussion about what I’m going to do. So it’ll be soon.”

That response won’t appease Democrats critical of his decision, who have accused him of being disloyal, for abandoning the party; unprincipled, for joining the party of Trump; and doomed, for alienating voters in both parties ahead of his 2020 reelection bid.

“He doesn’t have a chance to win as a Democrat or a Republican,” Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) said Tuesday.

Last year, Van Drew won the contest to replace retiring Rep. Frank LoBiondo, a moderate Republican who held the seat for 24 years.