Ocean County, New Jersey, has long been a Republican stronghold, a bastion of conservative values where the GOP machine once operated with precision under the iron grip of Chairman George Gilmore.
But the political landscape is shifting, and Gilmore, once an untouchable kingmaker, now finds himself teetering on the edge of irrelevance. Reeling from a crushing defeat in the June 2025 gubernatorial primary, entangled in ethically questionable land deals, and increasingly sidelined by local Republican factions, the question looms: Is this the end of the line for George Gilmore?
The June primary was a humiliating blow for Gilmore. His full-throated endorsement of former radio host Bill Spadea for the Republican gubernatorial nomination was supposed to flex the muscle of the Ocean County GOP. Instead, Jack Ciattarelli’s landslide victory—not only statewide but in Gilmore’s own backyard, where Ciattarelli won 67% to Spadea’s 28%—exposed cracks in Gilmore’s once-formidable influence.
This wasn’t just a loss; it was a public repudiation of Gilmore’s leadership, with local party insiders and voters signaling they’re ready to move on. Even Spadea’s core audience, tied to NJ 101.5, failed to turn out in force, underscoring the limits of Gilmore’s sway.
Gilmore’s troubles don’t end with electoral defeats.
His involvement in a series of ethically murky land deals has raised red flags across the county.
A prime example is the $20.5 million sale of 89.57 acres of largely unbuildable Pinelands property in Manchester Township to the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust, championed by Gilmore and facilitated by his ally, Commissioner Robert Arace.
The deal, finalized in August 2024, was followed by a $5,000 donation from the seller, GOP megadonor Larry Bathgate, to Gilmore’s PAC—a move that reeks of potential quid pro quo, even if no illegality has been proven.
Add to this Gilmore’s ties to development initiatives through allies like Commissioner Frank Sadeghi, whose firm Morgan Municipal Services has been linked to county projects, and the picture grows murkier. Critics argue these dealings prioritize personal gain over public interest, further eroding trust in Gilmore’s leadership.
Nowhere is Gilmore’s fading influence more evident than in Brick and Toms River, Ocean County’s political epicenters.
Gilmore is also losing ground in Berkeley, Lacey, and other towns across the county. He is picking up steam, apparently, in Lakewood after arranging for the hiring of Deputy Mayor Menashe Miller within the county government along with other key figures in the community.
Now, Gilmore shifts his focus to towns like Manchester, which is the new wild west for Ocean County’s next phase of development, hoping to keep what little control he has in the county firmly in hand. He’s backing Mayor Joseph Hankins.
Hankins is in trouble after passing a massive tax increase, but Gilmore needs Hankins to remain in power as lot of new projects are on the table in the municipality.
Brick Township, once Gilmore’s personal playground, is now the county’s only Democrat stronghold.
In Brick Township, Gilmore has consistently failed to secure victories, with local GOP candidates distancing themselves from his endorsements. Toms River is even more telling.
This year, both factions vying for control of the Township Council—Democrats and the remnants of former Mayor Maurice Hill’s camp—flatly rejected Gilmore’s support.
Gilmore has no horses in the race, holding an empty hand in one of the county’s biggest elections in 2025.
Forced to back a single candidate, Anthony Ricotta, a close friend of Gilmore’s protégé Arace, Gilmore watched as his influence was reduced to a footnote in a crowded primary.
The Toms River Republican clubs, once loyal to Gilmore, have turned their backs, signaling a broader revolt within the party. He is becoming a chairman without a party.
Gilmore’s decline traces back to his 2019 federal tax fraud conviction, which forced his resignation as chairman and cost him his law firm. Though pardoned by President Donald Trump in 2020 and reinstated as chairman in 2022, the stain of his conviction—a year-and-a-day sentence for failing to pay IRS payroll taxes and lying on a mortgage application—has never fully faded.
Speculation persists that Gilmore’s political survival may hinge on his alleged role as a federal informant, a theory fueled by his ability to dodge earlier investigations like Operation Bid Rig. Whether true or not, these whispers, combined with his recent failures, paint a picture of a man clinging to power by increasingly tenuous threads.
Gilmore operates his desperate attempt to regain relevance, pay off his tax liens, and keep his waterfront mansion, clearly in the public eye. That alone raises questions for many in political circles.
“When I talk to George Gilmore, I assume I’m talking to the FBI,” said one political operative. “You know he’s gotta wired and making deals to get out of his own situation.”
Yet, Gilmore is no ordinary political figure. His decades-long dominance in Ocean County, built on a network of loyalists and strategic alliances, makes him a formidable survivor.
Allies like Arace and Sadeghi still hold key positions, and Gilmore-backed candidates secured state committee seats in June, proving he retains some clout.
But the tide is turning. Rising stars like Senator Carmen Amato, Mayor Dan Rodrick, Assemblyman Paul Kanitra, Sheriff Michael Mastronardy, and even Commissioner Frank Sadeghi are positioning themselves as potential successors, each with stronger local ties and less baggage.
Even Sadeghi, once a Gilmore loyalist, is said to be stepping out of his shadow, hinting at a shift in the county’s power dynamics.
The Ocean County GOP stands at a crossroads. Gilmore’s critics, including vocal members of Toms River’s Republican clubs, demand leadership that unites the party and prioritizes local candidates over personal agendas. His dual role as a lobbyist and chairman, coupled with accusations of working for Democratic interests like the Norcross family, has fueled distrust among the rank-and-file. With his term as chairman up for a vote in June 2026, speculation is rife that challengers will emerge to unseat him.
Gilmore is up for re-election in 2026. New rumors speculate that former Ocean County Commissioner Gary Quinn is considering the challenge.
Evideence suggests his grip is slipping.
The June primary loss, ethical controversies, and rejection by local GOP factions paint a grim picture. Ocean County’s Republican Party is evolving, and its voters are demanding accountability, not backroom deals.
If Gilmore cannot adapt, he risks becoming a relic of a bygone era—a once-powerful figure overtaken by a new generation of leaders. The end of the line may not be here yet, but for George Gilmore, it’s closer than ever.
