A Democrat councilman in Bergen County, New Jersey announced Wednesday that he would be flipping to the Republican Party and endorsing GOP gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli’s campaign, becoming the latest Garden State Democrat to do so.
Alpine Councilman David Kupferschmid, who will now serve as the council’s lone Republican, said the Democratic Party has become increasingly “unrecognizable” to him in making his announcement. The councilman pointed to the rise of Zohran Mamdani in neighboring New York, the pro-communist candidate who is heavily favored to become the next mayor of New York City.
“The Democrat Party does not represent us anymore,” Kupferschmid said. “With my switch, I will now be the first Republican on the council in more than 20 years. I hope that this is the beginning of a resurgence for the Republican Party in Alpine where alternate voices are much needed on the governing body.”