CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, N.J. – South Jersey Republicans may soon face a once unthinkable dilemma: whether to let freshman U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D, NJ-02) switch parties.
David Wildstein of New Jersey Globe stirred the pot on Monday when he obtained quotes from state Senators Joe Pennacchio (R-26) of Morris County and Declan O’Scanlon (R-13) of Monmouth County, both of which were complimentary of the South Jersey Machine Democrat and former LD1 state senator’s voting record. The warm feeling for Van Drew, however, stopped abruptly at the South Jersey line.
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“Clearly has his finger on the pulse of South Jersey politics,” GOP super consultant Chris Russell responded via Twitter to Pennacchio; Russell’s clients this cycle include NJ-02 primary hopeful David Richter. “How about when the other side is drowning, don’t throw them a life jacket? Kudos to Cape GOP Chairman Karavan for putting up the stop sign.”
Both Karavan and Richter went on the record too, separately expressing no interest in a Van Drew flip; Richter said he’s staying in the race either way.
Another Cape GOP leader was even more blunt and passionate on the topic.
“What a joke! Van Drew votes with Nancy Pelosi 92% of the time. He isn’t and has never been conservative,” said Cape May County GOP State Committeeman Tom Rotundi in a Facebook post. “Please do us, the 2nd Congressional District, a favor worry about your district and we will worry about the CD 2. If you like Van Drew so much invite him to move to your district. We have had him for 20 years, and we are still waiting for infrastructure he promised and never delivered on! Even now at the federal level he is doing nothing for us.”
“Also voting against impeachment for Donald Trump didn’t take moral courage on his part,” add Rotundi. “If he wanted to flip he had his chance last election. Flipping now is a slap in the face to every Republican that actually cares about integrity and Republicans values.”
Rotundi’s post was shared by a second NJ-02 primary candidate, Republican Brian Fitzherbert.
Van Drew is one of only two House Democrats nationally to vote against the impeachment inquiry. Trump carried sprawling, working class NJ-02 in 2016 and the Cook Political Report considers NJ-02 (along with neighboring NJ-03) to be a ‘toss up’ battleground. Van Drew is also expected to face a primary challenge from a New Jersey professor if he votes against articles for impeachment.
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