Democrats Can't Convince One of Their Own on Impeachment

"I'll look at new information that's presented," Rep. Jeff Van Drew said. "I'll always have an open mind. But where I am now is where I was before." Where he is now and was before is against impeachment, the Hill reports. Fellow Democrats in Washington and in his New Jersey district have been unable to budge Van Drew, who voted against launching the impeachment inquiry and expects to vote against the articles of impeachment. The Democratic chairman in Atlantic County told Van Drew that opposing impeachment of President Trump could hurt Democratic turnout for local races next year. It's a problem for Democratic candidates and officeholders back home already, he said. Van Drew is unmoved. "Nobody ever forces me how to vote," he said.

Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota, the other Democrat who voted against the inquiry, hasn't said how he'll vote on the articles. At least two people are considering running against Van Drew in the primary next year; his seat was held by Republicans until he won it in 2018. He said he'd have preferred a vote on whether to censure Trump, per CNN. The issue of impeachment "is tearing the nation apart," Van Drew said. "And I want to bring people together." (Peterson called moving on impeachment without the backing of Senate Republicans a mistake.)