TOMS RIVER, N.J. – Veteran former Ocean County Commissioner Virginia “Ginny” Haines has emerged as a leading challenger to embattled Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore ahead of the party’s leadership election scheduled for March.
The contest could determine the future direction of one of New Jersey’s most powerful Republican county organizations.
Gilmore, a longtime power broker in Ocean County Republican and Democrat party politics, was convicted in 2019 on federal tax-related charges for failing to remit employee payroll taxes and lying on a bank loan application. He resigned as county chairman following the conviction but has since regained influence in local GOP circles, returning to the chairmanship despite continued controversy and criticism from within the party.
Haines, 79, has served on the Ocean County Board of Commissioners since 2016 and is widely regarded as a respected and steady presence in county and state Republican politics. Before her current role, she served in the New Jersey General Assembly, directed the state lottery under Governor Christine Whitman, and represented New Jersey as the Republican National Committeewoman from 2004 until 2025.
Party insiders say her bid for chairman represents a growing movement among Ocean County Republicans who want to turn the page on Gilmore’s scandal-plagued leadership and restore credibility to the local organization.
Haines’ supporters argue that Gilmore’s past conviction and ongoing role as a registered lobbyist for Democratic clients undermine the integrity of the county GOP.
“The party needs a leader focused on Republican unity and clean government — not personal power,” one Ocean County committeeperson said.
Gilmore, meanwhile, has retained a base of loyalists who credit him with building and maintaining the county’s strong Republican dominance over decades. Ocean County remains one of the GOP’s most reliable strongholds in New Jersey, often delivering the margins needed for Republican candidates in statewide races.
Gilmore has also been under fire for business dealings and political support with and for key powerful Democrat party figures, where is often consults for and funds opposition party candidates.
The leadership election in March is expected to be closely watched both locally and across the state, as Ocean County’s GOP remains one of the largest and most influential Republican organizations in New Jersey.
The outcome could signal whether party members are ready to move past Gilmore’s checkered legacy — or if his enduring influence will once again secure him the chairman’s seat.