Dem Rep. Resists GOP Efforts To Switch Parties Amid Impeachment Opposition
It appears that the GOP tried to get another Democratic congressman to switch over to their party soon.
Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) says he was approached about switching over to the Republican Party, according to a KFGO report Monday. Peterson told the outlet there have been “overtures by the highest levels of the Republican Party in the last couple weeks.” Over the weekend, Peterson indicated that he’s leaning toward voting against President Trump’s impeachment.
News of the effort comes after Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-NJ) announced his plans to defect from the Democratic Party over the weekend. The Washington Post reported that President Trump met with Van Drew on Friday, during which the President urged him to join the GOP.
However, Peterson told KFGO that, unlike Van Drew, he has no plans to switch sides.
“I’m staying in the party, in spite of some of the stuff that’s going on that I don’t agree with, I am not going switch parties at this stage of my career,” Peterson told KFGO.
Peterson’s latest remarks come just a day after he said he wouldn’t join his fellow House Democrats in the impeachment vote this week “unless they come up with something between now and Wednesday.”
Both Peterson and Van Drew were the lone Democrats who voted against the House’s resolution to officially authorize the impeachment proceedings in October.
Read KFGO’s report here.