Well, Schundler’s election was a fluke initially under bizarre circumstances. Just did a check and Vineland is the only over 40k population city in NJ that has had 3 GOP Mayors in a row since 1996 (preceded by an Independent). Only it and Clifton currently have GOP Mayors (with Clifton’s James Anzaldi having been in office now for 18 straight years — tied with Trenton’s Doug Palmer for being the longest currently serving major-city Mayors in the state. It’ll be interesting to see if they try to break Boss Hague’s 30 year record reign in JC).
Clifton was for many years, the most right-leaning urban area in New Jersey. Large German and Scottish American population, augmented by Italians moving over from Paterson starting in the late 1960s. Unfortunately, it is starting to get a little ghetto (gangs, violence, etc.) but for now they still have a GOP mayor and council.