Van Drew, the ‘comeback kid,’ raises $638k for re-election bid

You can call Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-Dennis) the “Comeback Kid.”

The freshman congressman raised a massive $637,835 during the second quarter of 2019, a haul that is likely to put him near the top of House freshman fundraising nationally.

After raising just $120,556 during his first three-months as a congressman, Van Drew has rebounded.  He has taken his cash-on-hand from $80,099 to $545,633 since April 1.

Van Drew told the New Jersey Globe that he did not feel comfortable raising money immediately upon taking office.

“We were in the middle of a closure, a government shutdown. I had real issues with my Coast Guard and with the FAA,” Van Drew said in April.  “I am raising money like crazy right now.”

Van Drew, a longtime state senator, flipped New Jersey’s 2nd district House seat from red to blue in 2018, after 34 years of Republican control.  He defeated former Atlantic County Freeholder Seth Grossman by a 53%-4%% margin.

Self-funder David Richter, the former CEO of one of the nation’s largest construction firms, has formed an exploratory committee to challenge Van Drew.  Brian Fitzherbert, who briefly ran for the GOP nomination last year, announced yesterday that he would run in 2020.

Donald Trump won the 2nd district by 14,830 votes (50%-46%) in 2016.