Morris GOP Chair says elected Republicans endorsing Sherrill should switch parties

Ron DeFilippis
Ron DeFilippis

MORRISTOWN, N.J. — One day after news broke that Republican Councilman Mike Puzio of Rockaway Township would endorse Democrat Mikie Sherrill in this year’s NJ-11 congressional contest, the head of Morris County’s Republican Party endeavored to lay down the law.

“Jay Webber will be victorious in November because his campaign is talking about issues voters care most about. Lowering taxes, creating jobs,  working across the aisle with members of both parties, and reforming our immigration system to keep our country safe,” said Ron DeFilippis, the newly-minted Morris County Republican Chairman elected by just four votes.

The Rockaway crew had supported DeFilippis in that closely-fought contest.

“Mikie Sherrill organized an event that promoted abolishing ICE, wants to take $6,000 out of the average North Jersey family’s pockets, and is open to the idea of Bernie Sanders style Medicare for all. If officials in Morris County want to support these radical ideas, I would suggest they register as Democrats,”  DeFilippis added.

Discipline is nevertheless always a difficult thing to hand down in Morris where there isn’t a “line” or a strong, well-funded party.

The traditionally reliably-red Morris is ground zero for Democrat advances this election cycle as Sherrill, and allies down ballot including at the county level, hope to strike a fatal blow to one of the final populous NJGOP strongholds by picking off liberal Republicans turned off by Trump as well as independents upset over the capping of the SALT deduction at $10,000.

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