U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew’s (R-2) decision to change his party affiliation and stand at the side of President Donald J. Trump, and the rally the Republican president subsequently staged in Wildwood against the backdrop of his impeachment intensified a national narrative in the Second Congressional District. But Van Drew’s decision to aid the GOP’s nationalization of the district could back to haunt him if Joe Biden becomes the Democrats’ presidential nominee.

Biden has significant street cred in South Jersey. But it’s more than that even.

There are deep binding Biden ties in the 2nd.

The former vice president’s wife, Dr. Jill Biden, hails from Hammonton. Her father owned Jacobs Pharmacy, which is now Los Locos Restaurant.

Led by frontrunner Brigid Harrison and her chief rival Amy Kennedy, Democrats this weekend will duke it out for the line in Atlantic County in an increasingly acrimonious primary amid insider CW about Van Drew’s 2nd district strength and Republicans’ key 2019 legislative wins.

But with Biden (a decidedly more moderate option than self-described Democratic socialist Bernie Sanders) reversing course with victories in South Carolina and subsequently on Super Tuesday this week and lunging ahead in the delegate count, Democratic sources are beginning to buzz about Biden’s potential impact on the Second District race.

Specifically one source noted the possible impact of Hammonton’s Jill Biden, and her capacity on the ground (along with Mike Bloomberg money, the source added) to make the 2nd more competitive, and even ultimately expose Van Drew’s party affiliation switch as an epic blunder.

In typically sharp-elbowed New Jersey fashion, Jill Biden made news this week in her own right onstage with her husband.

From Newsweek:

During a speech by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Super Tuesday, his wife, Jill Biden, acted like a Secret Service agent, shoving away a protester who came up on stage.

In the middle of his speech, Jill quickly moved between her husband and the protester who was on stage holding up a sign reading “Let Dairy Die.” The protester was quickly escorted off the stage by a security guard.