Ahead of Toms River’s June 6 primary, four candidates are each presenting themselves as the way forward for the town’s Republican party. The mayor’s seat and three township council seats are up for grabs, and the four mayoral contenders are each heading up a slate of candidates to fill the positions.

Running for reelection is Mayor Maurice B. “Mo” Hill. His challengers are Councilman Daniel Rodrick, Geri Ambrosio, and Robert Bianchini.

The primary election, which is virtually certain to determine the victor in November in the heavily Republican municipality, marks a continuation of the internal strife within Toms River’s Republican party. Incumbent Mayor Maurice B. “Mo” Hill entered office in 2020 after taking on the township’s official Republican organization of 40 years, the Toms River Regular Republican Club, which endorsed his opponent. Mayor Hill and his backers, Republicans for Toms River, consolidated their ascension to political dominance in 2021 when the Ocean County Republican Council voted to oust the Toms River Regular Republican Club as the official GOP organization in favor of Republicans for Toms River. Even with the stunning comeback of Ocean County boss George Gilmore, a long-time member of the Regular Republicans, the organization has failed to turn its fortunes around, losing a bid to regain the title of Toms River’s official GOP organization in early March.

The Toms River Regular Republican Club is endorsing Geri Ambrosio, a former president of the club. Without the hoped-for party backing that a win for her club would have provided, she will face an uphill battle. Both she and Daniel Rodrick, a long-time contender for the mayoral position, are critics of what they characterize as over-development in Toms River, Rodrick vociferously so. In the past, Rodrick has faced censure for incendiary comments. For his part, Mayor Hill is touting his record of preserving about 50 acres of open space for Toms River and passing three consecutive budgets with no municipal tax rate increase.