Congressman Van Drew Assimilation Has Been Swift, Effective

United States Congressman Jeff Van Drew, NJ, R-2 has done something that's only happened 40 times In American history. He decided to switch his political party affiliation, from Democrat to Republican.

Van Drew has also become the first-ever to switch from the majority to minority party. It really was a bold and courageous decision. And, not without major potential risks.

If the move was viewed as only political, Van Drew risked having all sides turn against him at once. Democrats would feel scorned because he left them. How would Republican voters interpret the switch?

Would it look self-indulgent, opportunistic and purely political? Would Van Drew be able to thread the needle and demonstrate that the move is a principled one. That the Democrat Party left him and not the other way around?

The early verdict is in. The Democrats are stark-raving mad. How cold Van Drew do this they've cried? In the throws of the impeachment of President Trump, the House Democrats actually lost one of their own members to the other side. They're smarting over this one.

On the Republican side, Van Drew has been welcomed with open arms. You simply can't overstate the assistance that's been provided to Van Drew by United States President Donald Trump. The President formally endorsed Van Drew in The Oval Office, with Vice President Mike Pence and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on hand.

Additionally, President Trump will hold a rally with Congressman Van Drew on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 (7:00 p.m.) at The Wildwoods Convention Center. The momentum and inevitability that will organically take place on this evening will end any legitimate Republican challenge of Van Drew by Richter, Brian Fitzherbert or Bob Patterson.

The once heavily favored Republican (nominee almost in-waiting), David Richter was vanquished in one pivotal moment in American history. It was a political tsunami and Richter never saw it coming. Richter has remained steadfast in his aggressive pronouncements that he will remain in the race all the way to the Republican Primary ballot.

Richter has resorted to name calling, labeling Van Drew a "weasel" and a "fraud," among other name-calling juvenile antics. The petty approach has yielded him no productive results. Richter also granted ill-advised interviews with CNN, The Washington Post and New York Times, which have proven to be disastrous.

It's all resulted in Richter "Jumping The Shark" and losing Republican support by-the-day. The Republican Congressional Campaign Committee immediately withdrew its support following The President's endorsement of Van Drew. They scrubbed Richter's existence from their website and took back the previous designation as a "Young Gun."

Richter has also lost previously received endorsements, namely, key Galloway Township Republicans, Atlantic County Freeholder candidate James Toto and others. All have now formally endorsed Van Drew. More Republicans will be following suit as time goes on.

Van Drew's (successful) assimilation into the Republican Party was no guarantee. Van Drew has played it just right, because he's authentic. He's also humble, like able and hard-working. Van Drew has made the rounds across all eight Counties that comprise the 2nd Congressional District.

His conservative views on the 2nd Amendment and conservative fiscal issues has long made Van Drew appealing to switch and become a Republican. However, it was the law of unintended consequences and the Democrats crossing a bridge too far that created the perfect storm for Van Drew's switch.

Van Drew could see that the rush to impeach President Trump was a purely one-sided, partisan political stunt. Van Drew did not even support an inquiry into impeachment. Then, he dared to vote against the two articles of Impeachment and the Democrats became unhinged.

According to Van Drew, in an exclusive on-air Hurley in the Morning/WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM & 1450 AM interview, Atlantic County Democrat Chairman Michael Suleiman politically threatened to take away key ballot placement and support for Van Drew unless he voted to impeach President.

It's ironic that Suleiman actually resorted to utilizing a quid pro quo (this for that) approach in the present environment, in light of the Democrats accusations levied against President Trump and Ukraine.

Conventional wisdom, which I never bought into, said that Van Drew was in the political fight of his life. That he faces an uphill climb to win the Republican Nomination. In no time at all, Van Drew is consolidating support around him as the Republican incumbent Congressman.

Van Drew is consolidating his support and is on the path to earning the Republican Nomination without a serious challenge.

On the other hand, Democrats Bridget Harrison and Amy Kennedy appear headed to a very expensive and highly protracted battle for the Democrat Nomination.

In electoral politics, many times the exact opposite of what you initially think takes place. Such appears to be the case with Van Drew, Harrison and Kennedy.