TOMS RIVER, NJ – The chairmen of the Monmouth County and Ocean County Republican parties exchanged barbs this week after Lakewood resident Avi Schnall defeated Republicans in a New Jersey assembly race that spanned the two counties.
Schnall had a huge turnout of Lakewood residents supporting him in the polls. A lifelong Republican who recently switched to the Democrat party, Schnall defeated his Republican opponent Tuesday night, leading Monmouth County GOP Chairman Shaun Golden to criticize Ocean County GOP Chairman Geoge Gilmore.
“Our legislative results are, to put it bluntly, a mixed bag,” Golden said in a statement. “In LD30, Monmouth County proudly turned out Republican voters in Howell and Wall. For that reason, we were able carry and hold on to Republican seats, including Assemblyman Sean Kean and Senator Bob Singer. We look forward to collaborating with our Republican counterparts in better understanding the steep losses this ticket incurred in the Ocean County portion of the district, particularly considering Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli’s outstanding performance in Lakewood just two short years ago,”
The statement was directed at Gilmore, who said the vote was not a partisan referendum but a cultural one that Golden does not understand.
“I wish Shaun Golden didn’t let his attempt at postelection spin get in the way of the facts. If Shaun wanted answers to the results of the LD30 Assembly race, he should have called me. I would have explained to him – as anyone who knows New Jersey politics knows – that the vote results from Lakewood for the LD30 race was a byproduct of the significant voter turnout of the Orthodox community,” Gilmore said. “The Orthodox community in Lakewood wanted to have an Orthodox representative elected to the LD30 assembly seat. The results were predictable–the Jewish community voted overwhelmingly (90%) for Schnall over Ned Thomson. This was a local issue, not a partisan one.
Gilmore gave Golden the proverbial “Those in glass houses” response. Golden lost an important LD-11 race that saw Democrat Vin Gopal and his team trounce Republicans in Golden’s own backyard.
“The Ocean County Republican Organization performance was a bright spot on a dark night for Republicans in New Jersey. We did not lose one incumbent Republican elected official in partisan municipal elections. Unfortunately, our neighbors to the north in Monmouth County cannot say the same. Our Ocean County Commissioner Frank Sadeghi and our Surrogate Jeff Moran both won by over 53,000 votes, each receiving over 70% of the votes,” Gilmore said. “
In regard to Chairman Golden questioning the outcome of the assembly race, he points to “… Jack Ciattarelli’s outstanding performance in Lakewood just two short years ago.” Let’s compare apples to apples. Ciattarelli received 12,505 votes against Murphy’s 7,820 in 2021 in a year in which voter turnout in Ocean County was 48%. Ciattarelli received 61.12% of the vote with a victory margin of 4,685 votes. In this current election, Senator Singer received 22,046 votes against Democrat Dobbins’ 1,871 votes in a year when voter turnout was only 31% in Ocean County. Senator Singer received 91.92% of the vote with a victory margin of 20,175. Assemblyman Kean won 88% as well this year. Not only did Senator Singer and Assemblyman Kean outperform Jack in terms of victory margin, they did it in a year where turnout was 17% lower countywide.”
Golden did not respond for comment on the matter.