Republican David Richter, a declared candidate for Congress in CD2, doubled down on his candidacy this morning amid ongoing headlines about U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew changing parties with the backing of Republican President Donald J. Trump.

“I am planning to continue in the CD2 race,’ Richter told InsiderNJ.

“Despite what I expect will be support and an endorsement from the President, I truly don’t believe that South Jersey Republicans want Van Drew as their nominee or their congressman,” added the businessman. “I also don’t think he will be able to win the general election after showing everyone his true colors. He simply is someone that cannot be trusted. And the track record of party-flippers is a dismal one.”

Richter is officially one of three Republicans in the race.

He and Van Drew tangled in the lad up to the 2019 legislative races.

InsiderNJ asked the congressman 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,” Van Drew 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.”

Richter promptly hit back.

“It’s disappointing Jeff Van Drew’s first public comments about me were personal attacks, but they mirror the panicked fundraising emails he’s been sending out since I got in the race,” Richter said in a statement. “It’s clear he’s worried. He knows I am the only Republican in the race that has a track record of success and the fundraising ability to beat him.  I also have the right message, which is this: after nearly 20 years in Trenton as part of a Democratic majority in the legislature, what has Van Drew really accomplished?  Why is South Jersey’s economy weaker, its taxes higher, and its infrastructure investment still virtually non-existent?  From my vantage point, the only thing Van Drew has ever done well is get re-elected.  He wins but the people lose.  That’s going to change in 2020.  The Republican resurgence is going to start with Mike Testa winning Van Drew’s old seat in November and continue with me taking his current seat next November.”