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5 aides quit as Democratic congressman plans to become Republican

Jeff Van Drew plans to vote against impeaching President Trump. Poll numbers also show most Democrats in his district don't want to re-nominate him.

Five aides to a House Democrat who plans to switch and become a Republican say they are resigning.

The five have written a letter saying they can no longer work for New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew because his party switch “doesn't align with the values we brought to this job.”

Van Drew has said he plans to vote this week against impeaching President Donald Trump. That puts him at odds with nearly every other House Democrat.

RELATED: Washington bracing for impeachment as battle lines harden

RELATED: NJ Democratic lawmaker reportedly plans to become a Republican

The freshman represents a southern New Jersey district that Trump carried in 2016 and was expected to face a difficult reelection next year. 

NBC News reports that an internal poll conducted for Van Drew this month showed he was unlikely to win a Democratic primary. Twenty-eight percent of respondents reportedly said he deserves to be re-nominated while 58% said another Democrat should be the nominee.

Rep. Jerry Nadler, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, cited those poll numbers as the reason Van Drew is making the switch.

Trump welcomed the news, tweeting "that would be big."

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