Joe vicari, new jersey's longest serving elected official running for governor

TOMS RIVER, NJ – Joe Vicari, of Toms River is New Jersey’s longest serving elected official and now he’s running for Governor. Since 1981, the electorate of Ocean County have consistently re-elected Vicari who served as a member of the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders until it was changed this year to the Ocean County Board of Commissioners. He is now serving his 14th term on the board.. Vicari, a Republican is hoping to get the chance to run against New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.

Although Vicari has vehemently opposed the policies of the Governor, he contends he maintains a strong working relationship withe the Governor’s administration, strengthened through his work in Ocean County during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ocean County is a critical GOP primary battleground and Ocean County GOP Chairman Frank Holman has already endorsed Vicari’s opponent, Jack Ciattarelli. Ciattarelli, even with Holman’s endorsement may not get the party line in Ocean County after it became known that he voted no on two critical post-Superstorm Sandy relief bills. The first was a bill to allow federal funding to shore towns devastated by the storm and the other was the rejection of a moratorium on home foreclosures for Sandy victims.

Ciattarelli has not yet publicly address those decisions, made when he served as a member of the New Jersey Assembly. In stark contrast, Vicari has been on the front lines fighting for Ocean County since Sandy, fighting for victims rights and relief against the state and federal government. Vicari has also been outspoken against Governor Phil Murphy’s extended business shutdowns and restrictions imposed by the governor during the pandemic.

Vicari, 74, is a retired school teacher and former superintendent of the Berkeley Township School District. Related News: White supremacist nazi soldier at Capitol insurrection had deep ties to Ocean County Hate Group Rise Up Ocean County, was “Huuuuge” fan.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

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.