Trump impeachment no slam dunk for moderate Democrats

Impeaching President Trump will be an easy "yes" vote for many liberal Democrats. But vulnerable moderates face the difficult choice: oppose voters in their districts, or their own caucus.

“I’m leaning no,” Rep. Collin Peterson, a Minnesota Democrat, told the Washington Examiner. “I want to look at everything.”

Several Democrats from swing districts interviewed by the Washington Examiner said they had not decided whether to support the two articles of impeachment announced Tuesday by Democratic leaders. The articles charge Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The House could vote on the articles next week.

Peterson predicted only “four or five” Democrats will likely vote against the articles, which would represent a very small defection out of 233 House Democrats and would leave plenty of room to pass the articles with a robust margin leaders can showcase.

Peterson, however, is among 31 swing-district Democrats who must answer to constituents who voted for President Trump and who largely oppose the House Democratic impeachment effort.

Peterson’s 7th District seat, straddling Minnesota's western state lines with North Dakota and South Dakota, is listed as a toss-up by many race analysts. If he votes for impeachment it could help end a nearly 30-year career in Congress.

Peterson’s fellow Democrat from the Upper Midwest, Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who represents Michigan's 8th District and is in a toss-up race for 2020, is also weighing how to vote on the impeachment articles.