The June 10th Republican gubernatorial primary was supposed to be a contest between Jack Ciattarelli and Bill Spadea. To insiders, however, it was just as much (if not more so) a contest between George Gilmore & Company versus, well, apparently almost everyone else in the Ocean County GOP.

To many, this was all about Ocean County, where its GOP Chairman George Gilmore overtly stacked the deck in Spadea’s favor, according to the opinions of some including Jack Ciattarelli himself, as reported at The Shore News Network and elsewhere.

Chairman Gilmore, a perpetually self-proclaimed “Organization Guy,” was, pre-primary, a paid “consultant” for Spadea, putting his money ahead of the organization in the minds of many.  In fact, reports from some attendees at certain Ocean County GOP events during the primary campaign say that Ciattarelli appeared at least one, if not more, events where Chairman Gilmore would not even allow him to speak – but Spadea spoke.

Still others shared that Gilmore was visibly upset with Jack Ciattarelli for even showing up at one or more Ocean County GOP functions, again, before the primary.

While Spadea took a trouncing statewide.; the Gubernatorial Primary was called statewide in less than a half hour, (was it 18 minutes?) after polls closed.

Spadea didn’t just lose; he was routed.

 In “must-win” Ocean County, the results pretty much echoed statewide results. This maimed its Chairman, a.k.a. paid political consultant. Gilmore made the Ocean County Gubernatorial primary “THE” race to watch for political observers – and watch they did; he made Ocean County the hill to die on.

That being said, like a phoenix from the ashes, George Gilmore has accepted neither losses, setbacks, a felony conviction, nor (political) death. 

The Ocean County Gubernatorial Primary handed George Gilmore a lemon – a big one. “A genius is a man who takes the lemons that Fate hands him and starts a lemonade-stand with them.”

So said Elbert Hubbard who is credited with first using this phrase in print back in 1909. (Literary Digest). In politics Homer E. Capehart, in his first campaign for Senate, was known to have said, “I have never been afraid of trouble. I have always had this slogan: If somebody hands you a lemon, make lemonade of it.”  

Was George Gilmore a student of Hubbard and Capehart?

Gilmore found himself faced with several choices, none of them palatable; those choices include continuing to deny Ciattarelli his well-earned endorsement of the Ocean County GOP Chairman as mandated by the registered Republican voters of Ocean County who voted June 10^th, keeping one foot on the dock and the other on the boat as Ocean County residents probably know is not a long term strategy, fully and formally endorse Ciattarelli or, at the very least, perform the ceremonial functions of his position as County GOP Chairman.

Jack Ciattarelli’s campaign slogan, “IT’S TIME,” may have been prophetic for the Ocean County GOP.

Ciattarelli for Governor held a fundraiser cocktail party at the Toms River Country Club on Wednesday night. Tickets started at $500 and went up to $10,000.  It was very well attended by many enthusiastic Ocean County Republican supporters/donors; reportedly, it was standing room only. Factions that were previously and still at odds attended and were in the same room together. It could be said that the attendees were a Who’s Who of the Ocean County GOP.

Though not headlining or even being named as a member of the Host Committee on the advertisement for the event – notably present at the event was none other than Ocean County Chairman George Gilmore.

According to some who were there, he spoke, he was gracious and supportive of having a Republican Governor. It was Jack’s night in Ocean County.

It may be the early dawn of a time for Ocean County’s Republicans to decide whether they are content with being a bit and bridled gelding or a proud stallion, a castrone or a stallone? It may also be time for healing, unity and a better way of doing things. Much of that is up to George Gilmore and those of his followers who benefit from the status quo. Perhaps for the Ocean County GOP, it’s time. Or as Jack Ciattarelli (or his ancestors) might say, ‘e ora (It’s Time).

We are pleased to continue to host Jeri Bahar here for this OpEd piece.