Democratic mayor is now a Republican

The mayor of Commercial Township, Warren “Mike” Vizzard, has switched parties and is now a Republican,” the New Jersey Globe has confirmed.

Vizzard has been elected to the township committee three times as a Democrat.  His move flips control of the local government from 2-1 Democratic to 2-1 Republican.

The party switch of the mayor represents another local political victory for State Sen. Michael Testa, Jr. (R-Vineland), the Cumberland County GOP chairman.  Republicans won control of the Cumberland Board of County Commissioners last year.

Commercial Township, a municipality of 4,669 people on the Delaware Bay in Cumberland County, has voted mostly Republican in recent years.  Testa won it with 53% in 2019 and 68% in 2021, Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-Dennis) carried the town with 63% last year, GOP gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli scored a 65% win two years ago, and Donald Trump won Commercial with 59% in 2020.