Toms River businessman Frank Sadeghi, an ally of Ocean GOP Chairman George Gilmore and once a candidate for party chairman himself, has won the Ocean County Republican organizational line for an open county commissioner seat uncontested.
A number of other candidates screened for the spot, but only Sadeghi was nominated at the convention. He’s set to succeed Commissioner Joseph Vicari (R-Toms River), who’s retiring this year after a record 42 years in county government.
Back in 2019, following Gilmore’s resignation as county chairman due to his conviction on tax charges, Sadeghi ran for county chair with Gilmore’s support. But in a contentious election, Frank Holman beat Sadeghi 254 votes to 229.
Holman retired as county chair last year, and in an upset, Gilmore beat County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy to regain his old post. Sadeghi is one of a number of Gilmore-aligned candidates running for top offices this year, and his victory means that Gilmore is likely to soon have an ally on the five-member county board of commissioners.
Several other candidates also won tonight’s GOP convention uncontested: Surrogate Jeff Moran, 10th district State Sen. James Holpzafel (R-Toms River), legislators and legislative candidates in the 12th and 30th districts, and Berkeley Mayor Carmen Amato, who is running for the 9th district’s open Senate seat.
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