TOMS RIVER, N.J. – The council chamber was packed on Friday as newly-minted Mayor Maurice B Hill and Councilmen Matthew Lotano, Josh Kopp and Kevin Geoghegan took the oath of office in Toms River.
It’s been a long road for the Republican slate. Hill is a longtime adversary of recently dethroned Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore. A retired rear admiral, Hill won a vicious and bruising three-way primary race in June with a campaign spearheaded by Highlands consultant Art Gallagher. The foursome subsequently defeated Democrats Democrats Drew Boyle, Karin Sage and Michele Williams in November.
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The large Ocean County municipality is a key outpost for the Jersey Shore GOP; its composition is now 5-2 Republican will Hill serving as mayor.
Two Democrats and two Republicans are up for reelection in 2021.
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Reorg 2020 video:
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Correction: an earlier version of this post stated that Toms River Council is now 4-3 Republican when, in fact, it’s 5-2.
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