As a Republican running in the 38th legislative district, Joe Scarpa came within 56 votes of unseating Assemblyman Tim Eustace (D-Maywood) in 2013. Now Scarpa has switched parties and is seeking a return to the Rochelle Park Township Committee as a Democrat.
Scarpa was first elected to the Township Committee in 1990, at age 24, and has served as mayor eleven times.
He spent a decade as the chief of staff to State Sen. Louis Kosco (R-Paramus) and is the Bogota Borough Administrator.