Is Rep. Jeff Van Drew a Democrat or Republican? He won't say on eve of impeachment vote

Christal Hayes | USA TODAY

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WASHINGTON – Rep. Jeff Van Drew, D-N.J., wouldn’t say whether he was planning to abandon the Democratic party and become a Republican after a swirl of news reports led Democrats in his state to attack him as a coward.

Talking to reporters Tuesday inside the U.S. Capitol, Van Drew declined to say whether he is a Democrat or Republican, saying he was still mulling the decision.

"I have not made a decision that I’m willing to share with anybody for a short period of time,” he told reporters.

On the eve of the House vote on the two pending articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, which Van Drew oppose, he fended off questions over whether his party change would be considered a betrayal to constituents and whether this was just a political decision in hopes of keeping his seat.

“My constituency, the majority of them are Republicans, but the biggest majority of them are people who really vote for people because of their individuality and because of how hard they work. And that's what I've always done,” Van Drew said. “I have an election coming up, and if they disagree with what I've done, then they will vote me out, and that's something I would very willingly accept. That's their right.”

Asked about his voting record and whether his decision would ultimately be one of political survival, Van Drew said that “any decision that I will make, will be based upon ultimately reconciling the philosophy that I feel in my heart.”

What's next for impeachment? Full House vote this week on charges against Trump, Senate trial likely

Just last week Van Drew told reporters he would remain a Democrat. “I don’t know if you consider it a lie,” he said of his previous comments. “I think you would consider it a hope and a wish.”

Van Drew would not discuss his conversations with the president, nor would he say whether his endorsement of Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., a Democratic 2020 candidate, still stands.

He also claimed that members of his staff were told to leave.

“They had to or they wouldn’t work again,” Van Drew said. “I think it would be very hard for them to work. If there was a switch, and they stayed, I think it would be very hard for them to work, but that was up to them. That’s fine.”

On Tuesday, Van Drew was also removed from the Blue Dog Coalition, a congressional caucus made up of moderate Democrats who are fiscally conservative.

“Per our bylaws, which require all members to be a member of the Democratic Party, Congressman Van Drew is no longer a member of the Blue Dog Coalition,” said Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D, Fl., Co-Chair for Administration of the Blue Dog Coalition.