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Just dropped · Trial Balloon · Ep. 194

What Just Happened?

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Trial Balloon · Ep. 194: What Just Happened?

Van Drew Walks Back His ‘Undying Support’ for Trump

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When Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) switched parties, he pledged his “undying support” to President Trump, CNN reports.

Van Drew now says it wasn’t what he meant: “I think voters understand that when you’re in the Oval Office and you’re having a very exciting day and you’re making a little piece of history, that sometimes we all say things.”

He added: “I think the words didn’t explain as well what I exactly felt. It’s not undying support that, whatever you say I’m going to do, or undying support, I agree with whatever you say. It was undying support for the presidency, for the idea of the greatness of America.”

Van Drew Vowed In Voicemail Not to Vote for Trump

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Three weeks before Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) cemented his defection to the Republican Party with a pledge of “undying support” for President Trump, he sent a constituent a very different message, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

From the voicemail: “I haven’t voted for him, I didn’t support him, I will not vote for him.”

“The emergence of the voicemail comes just days before Van Drew is set to fly with Trump on Air Force One to a rally… which Van Drew hopes will help gin up support for him in the Republican primary.”

Van Drew Says He’s ‘Technically Still a Democrat’

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Despite voting with Republicans against impeachment and giving standing ovations to President Trump during the impeachment debate, Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-NJ) is not ready to say he’s a Republican, telling National Journal that he is “technically still a Democrat” and expects to announce a decision within “the next few days.”

However, Bloomberg reports Van Drew is expected to meet Trump at the White House later today.

Van Drew Won’t Confirm Party Switch

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Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-NJ) declined to confirm to the Philadelphia Inquirer that he’s switching to the Republican Party, but suggested that an announcement is coming soon.

Said Van Drew: “I’m not discussing any of that now. There will be a time. I’m reevaluating my life and my thoughts.”

Most of his staff has already resigned in protest to his reported party switch.

GOP Candidate Distracted Trying to Prove He Wasn’t Racist

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Seth Grossman (R) told the Newark Star Ledger that he could have won his congressional race against Jeff Van Drew (D) last week.

Said Grossman: “There’s no doubt in my mind that if I did not have unnecessary distractions thrown into my path I would have won yesterday’s election as a pro-Trump candidate because this is a pro-Trump district.”

He added: “I was distracted trying to prove I’m not a racist.”

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.

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