GOP Rep Who Left Dem Party Urges Manchin to Become a Republican: I Believe He Would Be ‘Happier’

Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) who switched parties two years ago is urging Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) to become a Republican.

During an appearance on Fox News on Tuesday, Van Drew said, “I surely hope that he will and I surely invite him to come into our party. I really believe he would be happier in the Republican Party.”

Van Drew went on to compare the response to Manchin’s announcement that he would not vote for the Build Back Better Act, to pressure he received from Democratic leadership to vote to impeach then-President Donald Trump in 2019.

“I wouldn’t vote for impeachment and I was beaten up by leadership in Washington, leadership back in the district. In fact, the last thing that was said to me, I’ll never forget it, was ‘You will obey.’ And I was threatened. And just like 👤Joe Manchin’s from West Virginia, well I’m from New Jersey. And let me tell you, you don’t tell people from New Jersey they’re going to obey,” he said.

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Van Drew went on, “For me, and again, parallel examples: It was impeachment, but it was many other things. It was the constant berating of the president, the lack of any bipartisanship, not giving us any information on the Republican side, which bothered me a lot because I don’t think that’s the way government should run.“

He added that he was “pushed and squeezed and pressed” after he voiced opposition to the impeachment effort.

“I’m happy as all to get out. I belong in the Republican Party. It’s a party that…No party is perfect, but does care about America, cares about our future, and does not want to make us a socialist, Marxist state,” Van Drew said.