Dem Congressman warns impeachment effort is destined for doom, and would hurt his party and the country

Democrat Jeff Van Drew, out of New Jersey, came out against impeachment on Saturday on the grounds that it will fail and will hurt not only his party, but the country.

Fox host Leland Vittert asked the congressman about whether impeachment talk puts some Democratic seats at risk in 2020. "Do you worry that if the Democratic caucus keeps beating the impeachment drum, it puts the majority and seats like yours at risk?"

Van Drew said that, "sure, that's a possibility," that what he truly worries about it "what we're doing in government."

"You mean you want to talk about issues more than politics," said Vittert in mock surprise, before using it as a segue to highlighting a clip from MSNBC's Hardball, where guest Rob Reiner was worked up as he disagreed with Van Drew about impeachment.

Reiner said it would be "great politics" and that Democrats have to "stand up for democracy." Van Drew said that this attitude doesn't reflect what actual constituents actually want.

"Whatever happens, it's going to be a failed impeachment process," he said.

"Do you think that if it is a failed impeachment process--" began Vittert's next question.

"It will be," Vittert jumped in. "It's not going to go through the senate."

"Okay, assume that in evidence," said Vittert. "Does that help Republicans and President Trump in 2020?"

"Yes," said Van Drew. "You can't go into an election and say 'well, we've done a few things.' And also we're responsible for, and spent, a huge amount of time and a huge amount of money on a failed impeachment process."

He stressed the seriousness of the idea of impeachment of the president, implying that the effort driven by the far left of his party isn't respectful of that seriousness, or the harm that it could do to the nation.

He also said he thinks the "reasoned approach" is going to be "victorious", meaning that his (and Pelosi's) point of view that impeachment should not be pursued will probably prevail.

"In my opinion, if we have a failed impeachment process, it's going to be a very difficult election to win," said Van Drew in closing, suggesting that it's not just Democrat lawmakers in particular districts, but the party and the presidency overall the Democrats stand to lose if they pursue impeachment and fail. And he, and some other Democrats, think failure is the probable, if not only possible outcome.