The costly mess in Wildwood has left American Federation of Teachers Local 1904 sister Brigid Callahan Harrison of Longport, a noted scholar, author and professor at Montclair State University, disappointed and angry.

The Jan. 30, 2020, issue of the (Cherry Hill) Courier-Post included a news story detailing the enormous cleanup efforts and expense the Wildwood-Cape May community has been forced to shoulder after Tuesday night's Trump-Van Drew political rally.

"When Jeff Van Drew first chose to obstruct Congress's rightful authority to investigate very serious allegations against Donald Trump, he assisted in the withholding of crucial information related to the 2020 election and chose to help Trump get away with a crime," said Harrison, who is running for the Democratic nomination in the 2nd Congressional District.

"When Jeff Van Drew negotiated his backroom deal with Trump and switched parties, he chose to take the Trump campaign money and to put his self-interest ahead of the people of the 2nd District.

"But what is most telling is that, during that moment when Trump asked Van Drew what he wanted in return, he had only one answer: He wanted his very own political rally.

"Van Drew did not ask Trump to help our community on issues that matter, like healthcare, infrastructure, and student loans. Instead, the trade-off continued to be about Jeff Van Drew's interests, not [those of] the people of our district.

"The result is that we now have a new Trump pawn in Congress and a huge, costly mess in Wildwood to clean up.

"Thousands of people from outside the district came to Wildwood on Tuesday, which has clearly resulted in labor and costs for Wildwood, Cape May and the 2nd District," she said, "and once again, we see Van Drew self-interest taking the top priority.

"It is Van Drew's obligation to clean up his own mess, both in Wildwood and in Washington.

"With the dust now settling after Tuesday night, it is clear we have work to do. We have immediate work to do with the cleanup in Wildwood, and we must all come together to vote Jeff Van Drew out of office.

"Van Drew chose to violate the trust of those who voted for him, including me. He has ignored the voices of New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District: the progressives, moderates and independents who united to get him elected. And it is clear, he cares only about himself.

"Jeff Van Drew has made his choices, and on Nov. 3, 2020, we will make ours," Harrison said.