Perhaps even better would have been to follow the footsteps of former Texas representative and senator Phil Gramm. In 1983, a few months after winning his third term in Congress as a Democrat, Gramm resigned because of a dispute with his party and ran — and won — as a Republican in the special election for the seat that he vacated. If Van Drew genuinely believes his constituents want him to represent them as a Republican, he should do the same and let them decide.