More freshman Dems come out in favor of impeachment

As the House of Representatives approaches a contentious vote on the issue on Wednesday, some of the chamber's most politically vulnerable Democrats have come out in favor of impeaching President Donald Trump.

Tuesday saw several pro-impeachment announcements from House freshmen who represent districts that Trump won. Freshman New Jersey Democrat Mikie Sherrill said that she would vote in favor of impeachment; her district narrowly went for Trump in 2016. Also from New Jersey, freshman Tom Malinowski threw in for impeachment with a statement saying that Trump had "endangered our national security, and violated his oath of office"; failed candidate Hillary Clinton narrowly won Malinowski's district in 2016, but he did knock off an incumbent Republican member for the seat in 2018.

A far more vulnerable freshman Democrat, Oklahoma Rep. Kendra Horn, also came out in favor of impeachment on Tuesday. "This is not a decision I came to lightly, but I must do my part to ensure our democracy remains strong," Horn said in a statement. Trump carried Horn's district by a margin of 13.7 percentage points in 2016.

Upstate New York House freshman Anthony Brindisi on Tuesday voiced his support for impeachment, the Syracuse Post-Standard reported. "I know some people will be upset with me," Brindisi said, "but I was elected to do what was right, not what's good for me politically." Trump won Brindisi's district by a margin of 15 percentage points in 2016.

On Monday, Democrats Ben McAdams of Utah and Joe Cunningham of South Carolina announced their support for impeachment. Trump won McAdams' district by 7 points in 2016, while winning Cunningham's by 13 points, Politico noted.

Also on Monday, freshman Democrat Elissa Slotkin of Michigan announced her impeachment support ahead of being met with boos and jeers at an event in her home state; Trump won Slotkin's district by 6.7 points. Virginia's Abigail Spanberger, who knocked off Dave Brat in another 2016 district that went for Trump, also announced Monday that she would vote for impeachment.

Pennsylvania Democrat Matt Cartwright also came out in favor of impeachment Monday. The four-term congressman isn't a freshman, but President Trump did carry his district by nearly 10 percentage points in 2016.

Last week, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said that she had "no message" for her undecided and politically vulnerable colleagues and said that "people have to come to their own conclusions" on the impeachment issue.

And not all House Democrats in Trump-won districts have broken in favor of impeachment.

Over the weekend, it was reported that New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew planned to switch from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party over the impeachment issue. Trump won Van Drew's district by 4.6 points in 2016. Collin Peterson — who represents a rural Minnesota district Trump won by 30 points — has said he's a likely no vote on the matter. Van Drew and Peterson were the only two House Democrats to vote against the chamber's impeachment inquiry earlier this year.

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