TOMS RIVER, NJ – Marketing by Toms River Councilman Dan Rodrick and Maurice “Mo” Hill has targeted Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore in recent days. Commercials have been run on television, campaign flyers have been mailed, and campaign newspapers highlight the involvement of Gilmore in the Toms River race.
One campaign mailer even calls Gilmore and his candidate Geri Ambrosio ‘criminal deadbeats’.
Gilmore is backing a third-party candidate, Geri Ambrosio, who has been criticized for her poor personal financial record in recent mailings. Flyers against Ambrosio point to bankruptcies, personal financial lawsuits, and her involvement in a 2020 hit-and-run incident in Lacey Township.
A commercial running on television now outlines Ambrosio’s connections to Gilmore, who has been thrust into the spotlight in the campaign for his support of Ambrosio.
Gilmore served as chairman of the Ocean County GOP until he was convicted on federal charges, including not paying payroll taxes collected and lying on a bank loan. He was sentenced to 364 days in federal prison, but before he could serve a day in prison, he was pardoned by President Donald J. Trump on his last day in office.
Now, Gilmore has returned to power, defeating Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy last June for the chairman’s seat. Gilmore promised to reunite the Republican party in Ocean County but has raised more than a few eyebrows in the past year over his actions that have done the opposite.
Gilmore is running candidates in elections statewide against the Republican party candidates. He has been criticized by Republican officials in Monmouth, Ocean, and Gloucester Counties for meddling in GOP primary elections.
Gilmore owes $3.5 million in fines to the IRS, and many believe his recent erratic behavior in politics is related to that. He has since taken a job for one of the state’s most powerful Democrat lobbying firms and appears to be running candidates in order to make wins for Democrats easier in November.
In Toms River, Gilmore entered Ambrosio into the race against his own party’s candidate. The general consensus is that Gilmore intends to split votes in order to get the worst possible candidate for office onto the general election ballot to secure a win in Toms River for his Democrat allies.
Insiders say Gilmore is also planning on spoiling the general election if his candidate does not win on Tuesday.
He has also been under fire for his connection to hi-density real-estate developers. In a campaign newspaper published by Dan Rodrick, Gilmore’s connections to a prominent Lakewood real estate developer were highlighted. He was also criticized for his involvement in his wife’s consulting company which is building a ten-story tower on the Boulevard in Seaside Heights.
