At least 6 staffers quit Rep. Jeff Van Drew's office amid party-switching reports

(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Six of Rep. Jeff Van Drew's (D-N.J.) staff members tendered their resignations on Sunday, explaining in a letter that Drew's "decision to join the ranks of the Republican Party led by Donald Trump does not align with the values we brought to this job when we joined his office," and they "can no longer in good conscience continue our service." Van Drew is a House freshman from a New Jersey swing district and the most prominent Democrat to oppose impeaching President Trump. He made his decision after meeting with Trump on Friday, Politico reports.

The exodus from Van Drew's office includes his legislative director, communications director, and director for constituency relations. His chief of staff is expected to stay on. Cheri Bustos, chairwoman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said the departing staffers could work for the DCCC until they line up new jobs that "align with their values."

On Sunday's ABC News This Week, House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said Van Drew is reacting to "public polling that shows he can't get renominated" as a Democrat, because "his electorate in his district is 24 percent to renominate him and 60 percent to nominate somebody else." An internal poll obtained by NBC News showed that 28 percent of Democratic respondents in Van Drew's 2nd Congressional District said Van Drew "deserves to be re-nominated" versus 58 percent who opted for "another Democrat" in 2020.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.