Brick is a solid red town that appears to prefer Democratic mayors.
Democrat Lisa Crate, who became mayor of New Jersey’s 13th largest municipality earlier this year after John Ducey resigned to become a Superior Court Judge, defeated Assemblyman John Catalano to serve a 25-month unexpired term.
Crate defeated Catalano, who gave up his seat in the legislature to run for mayor, by a 59%-41% margin; she leads by 3,354 votes.
Democrats also won four council seats. Incumbents Vince Minichino, Derrick Ambrosino, Melissa Travers, and newcomer Steve Feinman beat Republicans Mary Jonas Buckley, Theresa Gallagher, James Palmisano, and Rocco Palmieri.
Ducey had won a third term in 2021 with 63%, even as Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli was winning Brick with 69%. Crate, a two-term councilwoman, was the choice of local Democrats after Ducey resigned.
Toms River
Republican Daniel Rodrick scored a landside 2-1 victory over Democrat Ben Giovine to become the next mayor of Toms River, New Jersey’s 8th largest municipality.
Rodrick leads Giovine, a top aide to Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown), by 7,677 votes, 69%-30%.
Republicans Craig Coleman, Thomas Nivison, and Lynn O’Toole easily defeated Democrats Michele Williams Rhetta Jackson-Fair Ruby Franco.
Rodrick scored an off-the-line victory in the June Republican primary, defeating Geri Ambrosio, the choice of one of two Republican clubs in town, by 1,856 votes, 45.5% to 27.6%; running on the organization line, incumbent Mo Hill finished third with 21.6%, running 616 votes behind Ambrosio. A fourth candidate, Robert Bianchini, received 5% of the vote.
Giovine became a late replacement candidate, after the original nominee, John Furey, dropped out in August. Giovine previously served two terms on the school board.
Ocean County
Republican John Bacchione was elected mayor of Berkeley Township with 75% of the vote against Democrat Kia Phua. He succeeds Carmen Amato, who was elected to the State Senate. The GOP easily won three council seats.
Republicans also scored victories in Barnegat, Beachwood, Lacey, Little Egg Harbor, Ocean Township, Ocean Gate, Point Pleasant Beach, Seaside Park, South Toms River, and Tuckerton,
Lakewood re-elected longtime Mayor Ray Coles, a Democrat, and Republican Deborah Fuentes, who sought an open township committee seat. The two won virtually the same number of votes.