RIO GRANDE – The Van Drew Team was campaigning in front of a ShopRite here when the congressman himself appeared and joined in the fun, identifying shoppers by name as they came through the sliding doors on their way out of the local super store.

InsiderNJ asked U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-2) about his much talked-about stance in opposition to impeachment, his roots in the Democratic Party, and the early fundraising efforts of a man who wants to run against him, Republican David Richter, who right now has over $400K in the bank.

“This individual is a self- funder,” the congressman said. “This $400K comes from him and his family. He’s going to raise money, mostly from himself and his family. That’s different from going out and campaigning.”

Van Drew hastened to take another shot at Richter.

“The last decade he has not lived in the district,” said the incumbent Democrat, running for reelection in 2020. “Now by law you don’t have to, but I sure think you should. He lived in Cherry Hill, ten years ago, and now he lives in Princeton. So he bought a summer home, I believe in Avalon, I’m not sure, but I don’t know if my real, down to earth good South Jersey people that work two and three jobs a lot of them and are just real solid Americans, I don’t know if a hoity-toity guy from Princeton who doesn’t live here, doesn’t know our area, really hasn’t ever vacationed here, hasn’t worked here, I dont think that’s the answer for this area. I’ve walked the streets everywhere my entire political life.”

To see the entire InsiderNJ shopping mart interview with Van Drew, please see above.