NJ Mayor Leaves Democrat Party, Endorses Republican for Governor

Garfield Mayor Everett E. Garnto, Jr. has turned his back on the Democratic Party after years of affiliation, announcing his switch to Republican and his endorsement of Jack Ciattarelli for New Jersey governor. The decision unfolded at a lively rally in Garfield, where Garnto laid out his frustrations with the direction of the state under Democratic control.

A retired police officer who spent 29 years on the Garfield force and 12 years as president of the local Police Benevolent Association, Garnto brings a grounded perspective from his time in public service. Elected to the city council as a Democrat in November 2024 and later chosen as mayor by his colleagues, he’s no stranger to local politics. But Garnto explained that his party switch stems from deeper issues.

“Over the last seven and a half years, the policies that Murphy has put out, it’s ruining the state,” he said, referring to Gov. Phil Murphy’s tenure.

This critique points to a broader pattern where state-level decisions have piled on economic burdens, from escalating property taxes to energy costs that hit working families hardest. Garnto, who once ran for the school board as an unaffiliated voter before joining Democrats at the urging of locals, noted how he’s voted across party lines in the past.

“In 2016 is when I first ran for the board of education and people in Garfield basically said, ‘Hey, listen, you should join the Democratic Party.’ I was unaffiliated at that time, and I just did, and since then, I’ve voted for Democrats, Republicans,” he recalled.

His history of flexibility underscores a pragmatic approach, one that’s led him to conclude that the Democratic agenda no longer aligns with the needs of everyday New Jerseyans.

Garnto didn’t mince words about the state’s woes. “The state is broken,” he declared at the rally, blaming “sky-high taxes, soaring electric bills, and less safe communities” on Murphy’s leadership. These problems have real consequences: families stretching budgets thinner as utility rates climb amid disputes with energy providers, while communities grapple with policies that Garnto sees as undermining law enforcement.

He revealed his own vote for Donald Trump in the last presidential election, adding that Trump “had it right about N.J. all along.” This admission ties into Garfield’s recent voting trends—the city, with over 30,000 residents and ranking as Bergen County’s fifth-largest municipality, backed Trump by nearly nine points in 2024, even after Murphy eked out a narrow win there in 2021. It’s a sign of shifting ground in what was once a Democratic stronghold, where voter registration and turnout reflect growing unease with progressive priorities.

Turning to his choice for governor, Garnto praised Ciattarelli as the solution. “New Jerseyans deserve better,” he told the crowd, describing Ciattarelli as “the right leader at the right time.”

He elaborated further: “I really believe Jack’s the man to turn Jersey around, to make New Jersey more affordable, lower the utility costs and make our community safer. Jersey’s an absolute mess, I’m honored to switch parties.”

These statements highlight Ciattarelli’s focus on core issues like affordability and public safety, which resonate in places like Garfield where residents feel the pinch of high costs and want leaders who back the blue without reservation.

Ciattarelli welcomed the endorsement, calling it a “courageous decision” and noting how it reflects widespread frustration. “People are upset all across the state with Phil Murphy’s failed policies in the last seven and a half years, all of which have been supported by my opponent,” he said earlier in the week on Fox News, zeroing in on residents “paying through the nose” for electricity.

At the rally, he expanded on the theme: “It’s not just Republicans who are crying out for change. It’s unaffiliated, independent voters and yes, even moderate Democrats who’ve come to the realization that this current administration has failed.”

Ciattarelli also took aim at the Immigrant Trust Directive, which limits local police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. “The president will never have to worry about sending the National Guard in New Jersey because we’ll be a law and order state under Gov. Ciattarelli,” he vowed. “My attorney general will support local law enforcement. We’re going to take the handcuffs off, let the men and women in blue do their job to keep our communities safe.”

This pledge addresses longstanding concerns among officers and residents who prioritize effective policing over restrictive mandates from Trenton.

Garnto’s move isn’t happening in a vacuum. He’s the second Democratic mayor to back Ciattarelli in recent days, following Dover Mayor James Dodd, and joins former Democratic assemblyman Jamel Holley, who switched parties earlier this summer. Ciattarelli has also secured support from the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825 and a “Complete and Total Endorsement” from Trump, bolstering his campaign’s momentum.

With the election just weeks away, these crossovers suggest a hunger for practical solutions over ideological experiments, potentially reshaping New Jersey’s political landscape. As Ciattarelli put it at the event, “With your help, we’ll get it done. Sixty-two days, all gas, no brakes.”