Jeff Van Drew is a Trumper alright
by digby
Honestly, what could be a more perfectly Trumpian loyalty pledge than claiming “undying support” on camera only to deny it minutes later? https://t.co/T5k7GlMXIh— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) December 19, 2019
.@CongressmanJVD to President Trump: “You have my undying support.” pic.twitter.com/UR4fo9BGOM— CSPAN (@cspan) December 19, 2019
You can see why Trump would love such a vacuous opportunist. He’s a lot like him.
Lucinda Guinn, the executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, released a memo on Thursday showing that Van Drew’s own polling suggests he’ll lose in November 2020.
Guinn also argued that Van Drew is vulnerable in a Republican primary against businessman David Richter, since he has voted against Trump about 90% of the time. The congressman has a 100% rating from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund and even endorsed New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker for president, who is now raising money for the eventual Democratic challenger. On Thursday, Van Drew pledged his “undying” support to Trump, and the President endorsed him.
“Republicans face a significant challenge holding onto New Jersey’s Second Congressional District and Congressman Jefferson Van Drew’s party switch does not improve their chances in November,” wrote Guinn. “Beyond the vulnerabilities on display in his own internal polling, Van Drew’s party switch has further weakened him as a candidate: he enters 2020 despised by Democrats, distrusted by Republicans, and likely viewed poorly by independents who watched him swap identities for political gain.”
Rep. Tom Emmer, the National Republican Congressional Committee chairman, touted Van Drew’s decision as “further proof” that the Democrats’ impeachment of the President would flip the House next year. “This is now a Republican seat and we will fight tooth and nail to ensure it remains a Republican seat,” said Emmer.
Van Drew has said that he’s well positioned to keep his seat, claiming that about 70% of his district approves of him.
When asked on Wednesday if he had received any nasty comments from his Democratic colleagues, Van Drew said, “I’m sure there may be one or two that wanted to,” but disputed that Democrats had turned their backs on him.
“We were walking back toward the elevator and somebody said ‘gee, you must be the loneliest person in Washington right now,'” Van Drew said. “The door opened up, two Democratic colleagues came out and gave me a hug.”
Sounds like a classic Trumpish lie to me.
Good riddance. I hope the Democrats focus a lot of money and time on unseating this fool. It’s a swing district and he got in in the first place by people who didn’t like Donald Trump. Now those people will transfer all of their loathing directly on to him. I hope he enjoys it.
It’s Happy Hollandaise time! You can count on us to keep an eye on this unfolding drama seven days a week even when you find it too stressful to do it yourselves. If you have he means to help support this blog for another year, I would be very grateful.
Again, thank you so much for reading and supporting my work all these years. It means the world to me. — digby
