Brick mayor heading to superior court after murphy appointment

Brick mayor heading to superior court after Murphy appointment

Posted by
1 min read
February 22, 2023

BRICK, NJ – As reported by Shore News Network last August, it is official. Brick Township Mayor John Ducey will become a Superior Court judge. Ducey has been formally nominated by Governor Phil Murphy for the job.

John Ducey, the only Democrat mayor elected to office in a major municipality in Ocean County where Republicans typically dominate, is stepping down. With the retirement of longtime Ocean County Superior Court Judge Mark Troncone, Ducey is the Democrat party’s handpicked successor for the seat.

Ducey is one of the few Democrats with enough name and brand recognition to carry his team year after year to beat the Republicans.

But are Brick residents ready to switch back to the GOP in a time of turmoil within the Republican Party?

In the next mayoral election, the battle between Republicans for Ducey’s seat could be more bloody than their battle against the Democrats.

Once again, the forces aligned behind former Ocean County GOP Chairman Frank Holman, Sheriff Michael Mastronardy and Assemblyman Gregory P. McGuckin will likely do hand-to-hand street combat with the forces aligned with new GOP Chairman George Gilmore.

In July, the Brick Republican Club endorsed Gilmore for chairman and Brick resident Ruthanne Scaturro for Vice Chairwoman.

The impending resignation of Ducey for higher office could also end the Democrat Party’s stronghold on township government. The infighting within the Republican Party could be just what Democrats in Brick need to keep the town blue.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss

Exit mobile version