Phillipsburg Democrat flips to GOP

A Phillipsburg Democrat has switched parties for the second time in a week — and one week before the mayoral election.

Board of Education member Matthew Thomas Scerbo announced tonight that he was becoming a Republican after being targeted by multiple late night “hostile text messages” from Democratic Mayor Stephen Ellis.

Scerbo, who backed Ellis’ opponent in the June Democratic primary, called Ellis unethical and dishonorable.

“Four years ago I walked door to door in my hometown campaigning for Stephen ‘Rogie’ Ellis and after he was elected I had to watch our community’s rapid decline and witnessed some of the most bizarre behavior from any elected official in Phillipsburg’s history,” Scerbo said. “The Phillipsburg Republican Party is the only group of people willing to listen to the residents, work with all parties for the betterment of Phillipsburg, and long for the much needed progress this town so desperately desires; however a small faction of agenda-driven individuals continuously stands in the way unless there is something in it for them.”

Scerbo says Phillipsburg has become a divided community as a result of  “agenda-driven individuals.”

“As someone who represents the best interests of our children on a daily basis, I simply cannot allow myself to remain a member of a party that has endorsed a man like JP Stettner, who allowed a registered sex offender around our children in close proximity, acting in the capacity as a coach, for an organization he served and continues to serve as both Treasurer and Board Member,” Scerbo said.   “I can no longer align myself with a group who has endorsed rewarding party members with taxpayer funds by providing them with high paying jobs that never existed in the past. It’s just wrong.”