TOMS RIVER, NJ – Two warring factions of the Toms River Republican Party joined forces on Tuesday with the Orthodox Jewish community to re-elect longtime NJEA boss Kathy Eagan to the Toms River Board of Education.
Eagan won with less than 50% of the vote in a three-way race against Republican George Lobman, who was endorsed by Mayor Dan Rodrick.
Eagan has supported many of the initiatives championed by the Orthodox community leaders in recent years, including school busing policies, and was the board member behind the school district’s agreement to partner with the Lakewood School Transportation Authority (LTSA).
Eagan Pushed for the Lakewood School Transportation Authority’s 2025-26 Contract
Under Eagan’s motion, this year, the school board agreed to extend their contract with the LTSA through the 2025-26 school year.
The LSTA, or Lakewood Student Transportation Authority, is a private organization that receives funding from the Toms River School District to handle busing for thousands of private school students in Lakewood.
The support for Eagan was a clear shot across the bow by the Orthodox Jewish community toward Mayor Dan Rodrick, who has fiercely opposed former Mayor Maurice “Mo” Hill’s policies against private schools, overdevelopment, and affordable housing in Toms River.
The Toms River Republican Club, led by Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore, unified with the Mo-Hill aligned Republican club against the Rodrick’s Republican endorsed candidate, George Lobman.
Key Points
- Democrat Kathy Eagan won re-election with under 50% of the vote in a three-way race.
- Republican groups and the Orthodox community helped deliver her victory.
Orthodox turnout shifts the race
High turnout in North Dover, where the Orthodox Jewish community has grown rapidly in recent years, carried Eagan to victory. In those districts, she received the community bloc vote, far outpacing her numbers elsewhere in the township. In most other parts of Toms River, she hovered well below 50%, underscoring the decisive role the Orthodox bloc played in the outcome.
“One major lesson learned from this election is that antisemitic rhetoric and fear-based campaigning do not work anymore. The people of Toms River see right through it. Our community is smarter than those tactics give us credit for,” said Toms River Jewish Community Council Leader Booky Kaluszyner on Facebook.
Legacy of the Ritacco era resurfaces
Eagan’s past as the NJEA local union president during the tenure of former Superintendent Michael Ritacco—who was later imprisoned for corruption—was a focal point for critics. She was the union president in Toms River. Gilmore was the attorney for the board during that time.
“They’re bringing the band back together,” said one voter.
She was among the board members who wanted to reward current Superintendent Michael Citta, Ritacco’s alleged godson and Ritacco’s assistant superintendent, with a $308,000 contract, while the district struggled with funding shortfalls, and right after the district tried to declare bankruptcy.
The district, which has reported a $56 million budget increase over recent years, remains under scrutiny for how it allocates funds amid persistent claims of inequity in state aid.
The Toms River School Board approved a 22% tax increase over two years, as municipal taxes under Mayor Rodrick remained flat during that period.
GOP rift exposes deeper divides
Eagan’s win was backed by Republican groups tied to former Mayor Mo Hill and County GOP Chairman George Gilmore, signaling a divergence between the old guard Republican establishment and Rodrick’s Republicans.
A Democrat, Eagan teamed up with a law firm with close ties to Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore to sue Lobman to remove him from the ballot. That lawsuit was dropped after Lobman’s attorneys raised the possibility that Eagan had purjured herself during her testimony.
GOP Chairman George Gilmore, a convicted felon, also has strong financial ties to the New Jersey Democrat Party. He is a paid consultant for a lobbying firm owned by the Norcross family, Democrat power brokers in South Jersey.