In a significant development in a hugely important and razor-thin race that still looks very winnable for the Republicans, Alpine Councilman David Kupferschmid switched from Democrat to Republican, becoming the first GOP member in over 20 years, and endorsed Jack Ciattarelli for NJ governor.
Justifying his move, Mr. Kupferschmid slammed the current-year Democratic Party as totally “unrecognizable” thanks to its lurch to the far left, praising Ciattarelli’s common-sense approach to over-development and crime. Mr. Kupferschmid’s decision to join the Republicans comes amidst a wave of Democratic defections across the embattled state.
In any case, David Kupferschmid contextualized his comments with a thorough denunciation. “The Democrat Party does not represent us anymore. 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,” he said.
Commenting directly on the race, he savaged the Democratic candidate, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D), noting, “While Sherrill refuses to denounce the far left radicals in her party, Jack Ciattarelli has been appealing to all sides with a common sense message that includes putting the brakes on over-development and cleaning up crime, both of which are critical issues for Alpine.”
Building on this point, he announced the inevitable switch. “It’s time! I’ve officially switched parties, and I am giving my full endorsement to Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate for Governor of New Jersey,” David Kupferschmid announced to the public, explaining his momentous decision.
Tying his decision to the GOP party platform, he added, “I’m proud to stand with our Republican leaders, and our great gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli, as we all work to elect candidates who will make our state more affordable and safe for all residents.”
Concluding his comments, he thanked the GOP for welcoming him with open arms. “I would like to thank the Bergen County Republican Organization for welcoming me with open arms, and I look forward to doing everything I can over the next few weeks to help Jack Ciattarelli become the next Governor,” the former Democrat said.
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As we reported, in a further complication for this race, Rep. Mikie Sherrill has faced stiff criticism for her role in a 1994 Naval Academy cheating scandal, in which she was accused by classmate Brent Sadler of lying, which impacted her 2025 gubernatorial campaign.
Watch her Republican opponent’s ad calling out her cheating scandal here:
Justifying her dishonor style, the Democrat claimed, “I didn’t turn in some of my classmates, so I didn’t walk but graduated and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy, serving for nearly ten years with the highest level of distinction and honor.”
However, Brent Sadler, who now serves as a Heritage Foundation Fellow, graduated from the same class and offered a different perspective. “At some point in time, she lied, or she obscured the facts. I would say lying, and that’s why she didn’t graduate or walk across the stage. Because if you simply did not report something, it wasn’t grounds for honor code violations at the time,” he pointed out.
Responding to her lack of accountability, her classmate objected to her remarks. “She immediately went back, and she defended the worst of the behavior in that scandal. And she let it just continue. That, in my estimation, is the violation that she’s committed here. We should demand better of those who lead us,” Sadler declared.