N.J. Congressional Candidate Won't Support Pelosi If Elected

State Sen. Jeff Van Drew is among a growing number of Democratic candidates who are distancing themselves from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

“We need to change the leadership in Washington,” Van Drew said in a statement issued on Thursday. “After more than a decade of leading House Democrats as Speaker and Minority Leader, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi will not have my support as leader in the next session. After this election, I will carefully consider the potential candidates and support the person who will best stand with us in our fight for South Jersey families. Right now, I'm focused on earning the support of voters in the 2nd district, and the many pressing issues facing South Jersey families and our great country.”

Van Drew is running against Republican Seth Grossman in the election to fill the Second Congressional District seat being vacated by Frank LoBiondo. Libertarian John Ordille and independents William Benfer, Steven Fenichel and Anthony Parisi Sanchez are also running for the seat in the Nov. 6 general elections.

Pelosi, who has been the House Minority Leader since 2011, faces growing discontent among members of her own party. As of Wednesday, at least 20 Democrats who are challenging for House seats in November have said they won’t support Pelosi as their leader, according to Politico. Many of them are in districts that tend to lean Republican, such as New Jersey’s Second District.

Over the last 50 years, only one Democrat has represented the district in Congress, when William Hughes served from 1975-1995. LoBiondo has been the incumbent ever since.

In 2016, President Donald Trump gained more votes than Democrat Hillary Clinton in Cape May and Salem counties, and came 3,000 votes short of Clinton in Cumberland county. Read more here: How Did Your N.J. Town, County Vote In The 2016 Presidential Election?

The district is made up entirely of these counties and Atlantic County, and some parts of Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Ocean counties. Of the primary counties, only Atlantic County fell in Clinton’s favor.
Grossman has been vocal about his support for Trump’s policies.

But even in her home state of California, there is resistance to Pelosi. Democrat Gil Cisneros told the Los Angeles Times “it’s time for new leadership.”

According to a Zogby Analytics poll, 35 percent of those who were polled said they strongly disapprove of her performance as Minority Leader, while only nine percent approved of the job she was doing.

That type of popularity is something Republicans are able to jump on, and something Democratic candidates, including Van Drew, seem to be trying to get ahead of before Election Day.

The attached image of State Sen. Jeff Van Drew is posted on the New Jersey State Legislature’s website