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Home Front: Politix
Order to vote for impeachment prompted House Democrat to quit party
2019-12-23
[Washington Examiner] Rep. Jeff Van Drew said he decided to leave the Democratic Party when a party county chairman ordered him to vote to impeach President Trump.

The New Jersey lawmaker appeared on Fox News's Sunday Morning Futures to discuss his decision to join the Republican Party. Van Drew pledged to join the GOP after voting against impeaching Trump, one of just two Democrats to vote against both articles of impeachment.

"The party is moving further and further to the Left where there’s discussions of it being a socialist party, and I am a proud capitalist. I believe in hard work," Van Drew said, criticizing the radical direction of the Democratic Party.

He finally decided to abandon the party, though, after a county chairman from one of the eight counties he represents told him that "you've got to vote for impeachment. If you don’t, you’re not going to be able to run in my county," calling the remark the "final sign" he needed to change parties.

"First of all, I still could have run," Van Drew said.

He continued, "But it made me think, for all the years that I have worked so hard and tried to give so much ... and it all boils down to one vote, that I may have my own individual opinion on one vote, and that's not going to be allowed? I'm going to be punished for that? And that's when I knew."
Posted by:Besoeker

#5  I have worked so hard and tried to give so much

Never was a true Democrat then.
Posted by: Dron66046   2019-12-23 18:08  

#4  Profile in Sanity (and Courage).

As Snagglepuss would say, Exit the Shitshow - stage right ...
Posted by: Lex   2019-12-23 13:01  

#3  Congrats! Most pols would not have the courage to burn their bridges like that.

This highlights a flaw in "I vote for the man* and not the party", namely that when push comes to shove, most will vote the party line, no matter what.

*Feel free to substitute any of the 57 genders for the word "man"
Posted by: SteveS   2019-12-23 12:52  

#2  The rest of the moderates bowed to the party and voted for impeachment. They should be done in 2020 since they came from districts Trump won in 2016.
Posted by: DarthVader   2019-12-23 10:43  

#1  That's the way they roll. Defy the directive and you might as well switch political parties. You are finished as a Democrat.
Posted by: Besoeker   2019-12-23 07:14  

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