Trump reacts as Democrat defects, joins Republican

US Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey will leave the Democratic Party to become a Republican, President Donald Trump announced Thursday, confirming during a meeting at the White House.

Latest nigeria newspaper reports that Trump introduced Van Drew at an Oval Office meeting that also included Vice President Mike Pence and the minority leader of the House, Kevin McCarthy of California. “Jeff will join the Republican Party,” Trump said. “It’s a very exciting announcement.”

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Van Drew said he has always been moderated and criticized the nameless Democrats for moving the party too far to the left. “I think this is better for me,” he said. “This is what I am”.

Van Drew told a series of issues that, he said, drove the party away from him, criticizing the Green New Deal proposal and accusing some Democrats of minimizing US exceptionalism. He praised Trump’s history in economics and promised loyalty to his new party.

“You always have my eternal support,” said Van Drew. Trump responded, saying, “I am supporting him. The announcement ended days of political uncertainty for Van Drew, following the revelation last Saturday that he planned to change parties.

Latest nigeria newspaper reports that He joins a rare group of defectors in recent years. Former Alabama representative Parker Griffith, a longtime Democrat, became a Republican in 2009, only to lose in a Republican Party primary next year.

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That same election cycle, the Republican senator from Pennsylvania, Arlen Specter, faced the Democrats before losing the 2010 primaries to Joe Sestak.

Pence added on Thursday that “another New Jersey public official” will follow the example of the South Jersey congressman. He did not give any details.

Van Drew’s vocal opposition to the political trial angered the leaders and Democratic activists, and provoked plans for him to change parties.

He voted against both articles of political trial on Wednesday night, at odds with the vast majority of his Democratic colleagues, who argued that Trump abused his power and obstructed Congress.

During the impeachment debate on Wednesday, Van Drew sat with the Republicans on the floor of the House, shook hands with Republican lawmakers and congratulated their leaders after their raucous Trump defenses.

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On December 11, Van Drew learned in an internal poll how much his stance on the accusation jeopardized his chances of winning a Democratic primary.

Latest nigeria newspaper reports that He proceeded to cut off contact with key allies, and two days later he was in the White House to discuss plans to become a Republican.

Van Drew may have hoped that defecting to the Republican Party would facilitate his path to re-election in a conservative trend district. But local Republicans have barely been welcomed, questioning the voting history and relationship of Van Drew, mostly liberal, with the state’s Democratic machine as worrisome.

“He will have to show that he is with us on more than the issue of political judgment,” said Jacci Vigilante, president of the Republican Party of Gloucester County recently.

Latest nigeria newspaper reports that The three Republican candidates who were running for their seat will remain in the race, for the moment they are not affected by the support of Van Drew by the Trump Oval Office.

“Go ahead,” said Bob Patterson, a Republican candidate for the post of Van Drew, in a statement. The citizens of South Jersey deserve a congressman who fights for them and their conservative values, not a liberal opportunist who fights for himself.”

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Trump has fired a couple of tweets praising Van Drew, but it remains to be seen how hard he will campaign for the lifelong Democrat in a Republican primary. At least eight staff members of the Van Drew House have resigned, along with the three staff members of their campaign.

Latest nigeria newspaper reports that Six of his former assistants will be hired by the Democratic Representative of New Jersey, Frank Pallone, to work on the Chamber’s Energy and Commerce Committee, which Pallone chairs, according to sources familiar with the matter.