Realizing they didn’t have the votes, Ocean County Commissioners Gary Quinn and Bobbi Jo Crea will not seek re-election, a decision that validates George Gilmore’s power heading into Thursday’s Republican convention.
Manchester Mayor Rob Arace and Berkeley Township GOP Municipal Chair Jennifer Bacchione, both staunch Gilmore allies, won the recommendation of the Republican screening committee two weeks ago against the two incumbents, Quinn and Crea.
The likely move of Arace and Bacchione to the county commissioner posts will solidify Gilmore’s control of county government following his return to the county chairman post in 2022.
This election also puts Gilmore in a potentially powerful position in 2025 when gubernatorial candidates seek organization support in Ocean County, the state’s number one Republican county. Gilmore appears allied with radio personality Bill Spadea, a likely candidate.
The 30-year-old Arace, the mayor since 2022, would be an unusually young pick for Ocean. Bacchione is the executive director of the county GOP organization and the wife of Berkeley Township Mayor John Bacchione.
Quinn cited his desire to spend more time with his family as his reason for retiring after 26 years in public office.
“Ocean County is growing rapidly, and the time it takes to do my job properly requires me to be out 3-4 nights a week and most weekends,” said Quinn. “With the schedule I keep, I am always missing out on the ability to attend family functions and activities for my three grandchildren. Anyone who knows me knows how much I adore my beautiful grandchildren and how important family is to me.”
Crea said he decision was based on the screening committee vote.
“I have always been a party person who respects the decision of the screening committee and will support our organization to unify us all,” she said.
A former Lacey mayor, Quinn is serving his second term; he was elected in 2018 to replace John Bartlett, who had spent 39 years as an Ocean County freeholder. Crea, a former Little Egg Harbor mayor, was elected in 2021 after defeating John Bacchione and others in a vote of the screening committee.
Last year, the screening committee declined to support the re-election of 9th district Assemblywoman DiAnne Gove (R-Long Beach), who had spent nearly fifteen years in the legislature; instead, it endorsed Stafford Mayor Greg Myhre, who defeated Gove at the GOP convention by 11 votes, 67-56.