Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Following the no vote, Van Drewannounced in December of 2019 that he would be switching to the Republican Party, offering a pledge of "undying support" to the president. Stockton restricts participation in debates to candidates who raise enough money to have to file Federal Election Commission reports, and neither Gallo nor Parisi Sanchez qualified to participate. I really cant say anything more than I am so blessed to have them as relatives and family now, and have married into a family that really cares. But she also points out that she is a fourth-generation member of a politically active Southern New Jersey family and that her father served as councilman in Atlantic County, which is part of the district she hopes to represent. And by the way, same way. Here's my advice: Be true to who you are now, not who the Democrats used to be, he concluded. In announcing his party change, Van Drew cited the Democrat Partys embrace of Socialism and the Radical Left, and in doing so, he became the first Congressman in American history to leave the majority party and join the minority party in the United States House of Representatives. GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP The two main candidates in the 2nd Congressional district race revealed stark differences over abortion rights, the cause of inflation, threats to democracy, and support for offshore wind farms during a debate at Stockton University Wednesday. Ordinarily in down-ballot contestselection races that include presidential ticketsparty affiliation is the major deciding factor. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Scott Wolf is credited as . from Rutgers and a D.M.D. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Kennedy has both outraised and outspent Van Drew. During a debate with his opponent, Amy Kennedy, last month, Van Drew pushed back against the movement to defund the police,arguing that it means officers "wont get the equipment, the safety equipment, the vests, whatever else they need to make sure that they stay alive as they take bullets for you.. He graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelors of Science in Television-Radio. Our campaigns have worked hand in hand from day one and have continued to do so since Election Night, the posting said. Earlier this year, everyone was surprised when Kennedy received the endorsement of Craig Callaway, a controversial Garden State Democratic political operative who has served time in prison for bribery. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism Her son Jeff, holds a BA With Honors from Rutgers University and my Juris Doctor from Rutgers Law School. You have my undying support, Van Drew told Trump. His current term ends on January 3, 2025. . .css-1du65oy{color:#323232;display:block;font-family:NewParis,Georgia,Times,serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0.3125rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;-webkit-font-smoothing:auto;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-1du65oy:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1du65oy{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1du65oy{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1du65oy{font-size:1.3125rem;line-height:1.2;}}Alex Murdaugh Found Guilty, Damien Hirst Donated More than $10 Million to NHS, How to Help After Earthquake Hits Turkey, Syria, Jeff Bezos Pledges to Donate Most of His Wealth, Mastermind Behind Varsity Blues Gets 3.5 Years. Former FBI agent Robert Turkavage, who ran and lost in the GOP primary in 2018 but switched parties to run as a Democrat this year, is also in the race. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Treat one another with respect, show some compassion, look out for others.". Representative Jefferson Van Drew (1953 - ) In Congress 2019 - Present |. ### Congressman Van Drew has repeatedly voted to DEFEND our 2nd Amendment, PROTECT unborn children, and AGAINST vaccine mandates, passports, and tracking databases, AGAINST raising the debt ceiling and budgeting via continuing resolution, and AGAINST the massive tax increases and social spending in Bidens so called Build Back Better agenda. But Ms. Kennedy had not conceded by early Friday afternoon. In my first job after college got paid to read the New York Times and summarize articles for an early online data base. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. President Trump speaks at a Jan. 28 campaign rally in Wildwood, N.J., as Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., listens. Congressman Van Drew Surface Authorization Requests, Congressman Van Drew Blasts the Biden Administration for Ignoring the Truth on Offshore Wind Development, Congressman Van Drew Announces Local Hearing on Offshore Wind Projects with Corresponding Legislation, Congressman Van Drew Named Vice Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Rep. Jeff Van Drew is fighting to keep his seat in a tight contest against Democratic rival Amy Kennedy as the House race for New Jersey'ssecond congressional district has gained national attention. Atlantic County Freeholder Ashley Bennett has also said she is running. As for the coronavirus, Van Drew does not support a national mask mandate. What Biden might try next if his student loan forgiveness plan is struck down. I started out not as a wealthy kid, had the opportunity to work hard, got into dental school, graduated, and now Im sitting here next to the president of the United States. She's a former school teacher and has five. She also criticized the president and Van Drew for contributing to a decline in morality in public discourse. So, how much is Jeff Van Drew worth at the age of 69 years old? About 12 percent ofDrews constituents say they were not aware of his party change. Please enter valid email address to continue. Also running against Van Drew and Alexander are Libertarian Mike Gallo, of Villas in Lower Township; and perennial candidate Anthony Parisi Sanchez, of Millville. that is degrading to another person.Be Proactive. Van Drew's party switch enraged the Democratic base and earned him a strong challenger in Amy Kennedy, a former teacher who married former Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) the late Sen. Ted. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. You know that and I know that and hopefully everyone in this room knows that.. President Donald Trump said New Jersey congressman Jeff Van Drew had "guts" when he abandoned the Democratic Party to join the Republicans, while an opponent nicknamed him "Switcheroo Van Drew." Current House member Joseph Kennedy III lost a Senate primary earlier this year to Ed Markey, and will step down from Congress when his term ends on January 3rd.Will this be the end of a powerful family's 60-year political run? It was Ms. Kennedys first run for elective office. In comparison to winning theDemocratic primaryin 2018 with just 56 percent of the vote, Van Drew won theRepublican primary earlier this year by an overwhelming margin, taking in over 80 percentof the vote, beating conservative Bob Patterson. 2 min. ( Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. A longtime state senator from South Jersey with a reputation for being a "right-leaning moderate" in Trenton, Van Drew "was used to getting some backlash from members of his own party who. Jay Lassiter, an openly gay liberal activist who helped publicize the flyer, said the gay community should not let Van Drew off the hook unless he denounces it. Heearned his Bachelor of Sciencefrom Rutgers University and his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Fairleigh Dickinson University Dental School. That 5 point lead amounted to more than 15,000 votes as of Friday afternoon. HEADLINE: Rep. Jeff Van Drew Was 'Almost Obsessively Anti-Trump' Before He Considered Joining His Party [The Daily Beast, 12/17/2019] HEADLINE: 'I will not vote' for Trump, Jeff Van Drew vowed in a voicemail. Republican, NJ-02 . You may unsubscribe at any time. Its been a controversial operation over time, but its never been actually proven vote fraud, said John Froonjian, director of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University, in the states Galloway Township. Jeff Van Drew has been around a long time, and hes got cross-party support, but I was not expecting a drop-off like that, said Michael Suleiman, chairman of the Atlantic County Democratic Committee. Its tally showed that he had received 51.7 percent of the votes, compared with 46.7 percent for Ms. Kennedy. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! On December 16, 2021, President Trump hosted a fundraiser for Van Drew at Mar-a-Lago in Florida where he once again offered Van Drew his total and complete endorsement and added that he is with him all the way.. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Democratic challenger Tim Alexander, left, and U.S. Rep Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd take part in the 2nd Congressional District Debate held Wednesday at Stockton University in Galloway Township. Trump praised Van Drew and hosted him at the White House, where the congressman pledged his support. This is the greatest country on the face of the earth, Van Drew continued. Your email address will not be published. And it kind of hurt because for years I have given everything that I could to my people in my district and that kind of hurt and it made me think a little bit, is this really what I want to do because there were other times in my life when I thought about this, Van Drew continued. Jeff Van Drew This content is imported from twitter. Please subscribe to keep reading. MAGA wants to destroy Democracy just tear it down, Alexander said. Van Drew, a former Democrat who switched parties amid former President Donald. You're Temporarily Blocked. He is married with two children, two grandchildren, and two German shepherds. Your email address will not be published. He currently serves on the House Homeland Security and Education and Labor committees. Alexander, 56, of Galloway Township, is a former police officer who retired as a captain from the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office, then became a civil rights attorney. Both Van Drew and Alexander have been married for decades and have adult children. The United States of America is an exceptional nation and I will continue to work with anyone willing to put party aside to fight for a strong America and a strong South Jersey, Mr. Van Drew said. Ive been a Democrat for a lot of years and I actually had a meeting with somebody about two weeks ago and the individual was a local county chairman in the Democratic Party.. The Associated Press reported Van Drew's win on Friday. Who Is Jeff Van Drew's Wife? At the time, he described Trumps conduct to USA Today asunsavorybut not impeachable. Vote: Jeff Van Drew voted Yea (Passage) - HR 185 - To terminate the requirement imposed by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for proof of COVID-19 vaccination for foreign travelers, and for other purposes. Three things to know about what critics are calling Mississippis Jim Shark Tanks Kevin OLeary blasts Ocasio-Cortez: She kills jobs by the Twitter discloses another possible government censorship effort. The party had moved from liberal to radical, he said. In addition, he served in theNew Jersey General Assembly from 2002 to 2008 and as the former Democratic Senator representingNew Jersey's District 1 from 2008 to 2019. Taking Van Drews hand, President Trump replied, Thank you very much. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Hugh Michael Jackman (born 12 October 1968) is an Australian actor, singer, and producer. I dont want anyone to ever say that this is the same as every other country in the world because it is not. On Thursday she released a new ad scorching Van Drew. Van Drew said that he was repeatedly criticized by people in the Democrat party who put down the United States, as they tried to convince him that America was the same as every other country and that there was no such thing as American exceptionalism. Van Drew won election in 2018 as a Democrat but announced last month he was becoming a Republican when he said he opposed impeaching Republican President Donald Trump. He also agreed with Kennedy that the federal government should stopclassifying marijuana as a controlled drug, and allow it to help with medical research. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., told Newsmax on Wednesday that, as a dentist with microbiology training, the wet market COVID-19 origin theory never made sense to him. Following the endorsement, Van Drew was one of the featured speakers at the final night of the 2020 Republican National Convention. In addition, he noted that Democratic leaders told him if he did not vote for impeachment, his life would be made difficult and he would not be able to run for office again. Pritzker keeping options open as some Democrats look for new blood, Cruz blasts Biden's 'incompetent' cabinet picks, warns vulnerable Democrats of consequences in 2024 elections, Marianne Williamson launches campaign against Biden, vows to fight 'forces of hatred, injustice and fear', Trump overwhelmingly wins CPAC's Republican primary straw poll with DeSantis coming in a distant second. The district also includes small portions of Burlington and Camden Counties. The congressman is. Its a racist dog whistle, Alexander said of complaints about the southern border. Van Drew is currently trailing behind his opponentby an average of about3.5 percentage points, according to the latest polling from RealClearPolitics. The last time that happened was in 2011, when Patrick J. Kennedy gave up his seat after struggling with mental illness and drug addiction, marking the first time since 1947 that no member of the family had held federal office. In the NJ legislature, he reliably catered to special intere. Sign up here to receive email newsletter updates. He has won 12 Grammy Awards, and three of his solo albums . 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The 2022 general election possibly could tip the scales of power in the U.S. House of Representatives from a Democratic to Republican majority, Authorities arrested a Millville man accused of murdering a woman Wednesday afternoon by shooting her in the head, the Cumberland County Prose, Voters will decide whether to give U.S. Rep Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, a third term in office, the fate of partisan elections in Atlantic City and , 9:50 p.m.:Voters in Atlantic City rejected a switch tononpartisan elections for their local government Tuesday, giving a victory to Mayor Ma, Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew claimed victory Tuesday night for reelection, as he was leading with almost 58% of the vote in the 2nd Cong, CAPE MAY Voters on Tuesday opted for stability over change on City Council, supporting three incumbents and a newcomer who had the backing o, The win was huge and convincing for U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, a bright spot in the Nov. 8 general election for Republicans who were disa. Van Drew also could not immediately be reached for comment. He said: "Every day and every way we're losing freedom in this country, whether it's the ability to speak out online . As many have pointed out, if Amy does not win the seat, it will be the first time in decades that there is no Kennedy in Congress. key issues. You have permission to edit this article. each comment to let us know of abusive posts.Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness Jeff Van Drew ( Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District. Mostly civil debate brings out stark differences between Van Drew, Alexander. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. President Donald Trump meets with Rep. Jeff Van Drew, D-N.J., who is planning to switch his party affiliation, in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, in Washington. Assemblyman Don Guardian remembers when he and his husband, Louis Fatato, joined in a domestic partnership in 2005. The 2nd District includes all or parts of eight counties and stretches from suburban Philadelphia along the Delaware River in the west to the Atlantic Ocean in the east. Van Drew, of Dennis Township, is a 69-year-old former dentist who held local and county offices before being elected to and spending years in the state Assembly and then the state Senate. The general election matchup is set . Kennedy was able to leverage her family connections to out-raise Van Drew during the campaign. It is the second big Kennedy family loss of the year. Ms. Kennedy was shown to have about a five-point edge over Mr. Van Drew in a Monmouth University poll conducted in late September. When President Trump traveled to South Jersey a few weeks later for one of his signature campaign rallies with Van Drew it was the first time in more than a century that a sitting President had visited Cape May County. Prior to joining Fox News' digital team in 2020, Manfredi worked for Fox Business' Making Money with Charles Payne as a production assistant. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, The Current of Linwood NorthField and Somers Point, Egg Harbor Township family told to remove pigs and chickens from home, The transformation of Ventnor Plaza has begun, Administrators at Egg Harbor Township charter school indicted in alleged self-deal scheme, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Atlantic City man sentenced for impregnating sisters, 12 and 13, Sugar Hill Inn in Mays Landing sold, will remain closed as new owners make repairs, Atlantic City man charged with selling crack cocaine, police say, Our view: NJ cannabis may stay costly at licensed shops, 4 local wrestlers reach state finals at Boardwalk Hall, WWE superstar arrested after gun found in car at Atlantic City casino, Murphy wants flood of liquor sellers, NJ revenue, Margate-raised 'music nerd' Scott Neustadter teams with wife to bring 'Daisy Jones' to screen, Ex-Ocean City police sergeant admits relationship with teen, William J. Hughes Center For Public Policy, Stark differences between major party 2nd Congressional District candidates, Millville man wanted in woman's murder apprehended, Ready, set, race! Of all the political races heading to the finish line on November 3rd, one of the most interesting (aside from, well, you know) is Amy Kennedys run against incumbent Jeff Van Drew for New Jerseys Second Congressional District. "But there are good doctors and good leaders in those areas that can make those decisions.". current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said New Jersey congressman Jeff Van Drew had "guts" when he abandoned the Democratic Party to join the Republicans, while an opponent nicknamed. Mr. Van Drew was a vocal opponent of the presidents impeachment and joined the Republicans in December when it became clear that he could not count on re-election support from Democratic leaders in his South Jersey district, setting up a marquee House race infused with national angst. Democratic challenger Tim Alexander and U.S. Rep Jeff Van Drew R-2nd take part in a 2nd Congressional District Debate held Oct. 19 at Stockton University in Galloway Township.