Democratic NJ mayor said he was told he was not welcome at Trump rally

The Democratic mayor of a New Jersey city reportedly said he was told there wasn’t a role for him at President Trump’s Tuesday night rally in his city. 

Wildwood, N.J., Mayor Pete Byron told The Asbury Park Press that Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) relayed the message from the Trump campaign. 

“I’m disappointed, frankly,” Byron told the newspaper in an interview published Tuesday, adding that he viewed Trump’s visit as a positive event for his summer resort city. 

“I think it’s an economic shot in the arm, as well as for the national exposure,” he said.  

Byron said he hoped to meet Trump and shake his hand, despite political differences. 

Byron added, however, that Van Drew told him the Trump campaign was annoyed over pubic comments Byron made about the Trump campaign needing to help pay for the president’s visit. 

Spokespeople for Van Drew and the Trump campaign were not immediately available for comment.

Byron said the comments about footing the cost of the event were not politically motivated. All event organizers are required to pay municipal fees to offset the cost of gatherings to taxpayers, he told the newspaper. 

Trump praised Van Drew, a former Democrat, at the Tuesday night rally. 

Van Drew switched parties at the end of last year after breaking with Democrats over Trump’s impeachment.