House GOP upgrading Democratic defector

House Republicans are reshuffling the decks on their committees to make room for their newest member: Rep. Jeff Van Drew.

Van Drew, a New Jersey freshman who joined the GOP after Democrats impeached President Donald Trump last month, is expected to land on the House Education and Labor Committee, according to multiple lawmakers and aides.

To make room for Van Drew, retiring Rep. Peter King has agreed to relinquish his spot on the Financial Services Committee, the New York Republican confirmed to POLITICO. King still sits on the Homeland Security Committee, where he is the ranking member of a subcommittee.

With King’s departure, Rep. Van Taylor of Texas — who serves on the Education and Labor panel — will slide over to Financial Services, opening the spot for Van Drew.

The roster shake-up was approved during a Republican steering committee meeting Tuesday, sources said. The full GOP conference is expected to vote on the changes during a policy meeting Thursday.

The Hill first reported that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy had been encouraging some retiring members to step down from committees to accommodate Van Drew and other potential newcomers after a slate of special elections this year.

When Van Drew agreed to leave his party, GOP leaders vowed to work hard to give him desirable committee slots, which could help bolster his reelection bid. As a Democrat, Van Drew sat on the House Agriculture and Natural Resources committees but lost both of those assignments when he became a Republican.

Van Drew has already received at least one reward for switching parties that could help him in a GOP primary: an endorsement from Trump.

“I’m endorsing him,” Trump said during a White House meeting with Van Drew last month.