A Democrat councilman in New Jersey announced he will flip parties and endorse Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli. Alpine Councilman David Kupferschmid stated the Democratic Party has become “unrecognizable,” according to reports. “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.” Kupferschmid, who won election to the council in 2023 and faces re-election next year, highlighted Ciattarelli’s appeal to “common sense” policies addressing over-development and crime. He noted Ciattarelli’s 2021 victory in Alpine by 18 percentage points and contrasted it with the borough’s Democratic-dominated council. Republican candidates have not won a council seat in at least two decades, despite recent state-level GOP gains. Kupferschmid criticized Democratic leadership for failing to condemn “far left radicals” while praising Ciattarelli’s approach. Ciattarelli, running for his third consecutive gubernatorial term, claimed polls show a narrowing gap with Democratic challenger Holly Scherer. The campaign drew support from figures like Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), who emphasized the need for New Jersey voters to “get out and vote.”