Vicari Withdraws Name From NJ Governor's Race

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Ocean County Commissioner Joseph Vicari has withdrawn his name as a candidate to run for governor in 2021.

In a statement issued Friday evening, Vicari said he was withdrawing from the Ocean County Republican Screening Committee’s consideration — what would have been an important step in pursuing a gubernatorial campaign.

"I make this decision after careful and thoughtful discussions with my family," Vicari said. "I also want to devote my full-time efforts to serving the residents of Ocean County, who overwhelmingly supported my re-election as freeholder last November." He said he will fully support the gubernatorial candidate the screening committee endorses on Feb. 6.

Vicari, 74, who has served on the Ocean County Board of Freeholders — now named the Board of Commissioners — since 1981, was unanimously endorsed by the Toms River Regular Republican Club on Thursday.

"The Toms River Regular Republican Club, without any objections, passed a motion by unanimous vote at (Thursday) night's meeting to endorse Our Favorite Son Joe Vicari for Governor. Hopefully the rest of the county will do the same," club president Geri Ambrosio said.

Vicari, who thanked the other county commissioners and others who encouraged him to run, said he had announced his intent to run to bring attention to the needs of Ocean County.

"My reasons for entering the governor’s race was based entirely on helping our local residents," he said. "Ocean County’s political support is critical to any Republican candidate running for governor. By entering the race, I wanted to draw attention to the special needs and concerns of our citizens."

"Too often in the past I have seen candidates for statewide office come to Ocean County 'for the votes.' I want to make it clear to anyone seeking our county’s support, that our 'votes' come from our people," Vicari said, "people with real and critical concerns. Senior citizens, veterans and young families that need help from Trenton."

"I hope my brief endeavor into state politics has focused attention on our needs here in Ocean County," he said.

Vicari, who is the longest-serving county commissioner in New Jersey, said that had he continued the quest for the governor's seat, he would have focused on "facts and issues and never on personal attacks, unlike so many of the political contests we see today."

"My success in more than 40 years of public service has been based in part on the tone and theme of my campaigns," he said. "As a lifelong educator, I hope this can be a lesson to everyone, from either party, who decides to seek public office."

Vicari was the subject of harsh criticism during his 2014 freeholder campaign against Democrat Timothy E. Ryan, who pointed to a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former county employee. (That lawsuit resulted in a $550,000 settlement by Ocean County in 2017.) Vicari was the freeholder liaison to the woman's department; she accused him of condoning sexual harassment by a county contractor. Vicari denied the allegations.

The 2014 campaign was so bitter Vicari filed a defamation lawsuit against Ryan over some of his campaign claims. Ryan countersued, calling Vicari's suit an assault on free speech, according to an Asbury Park Press report. Vicari dropped the defamation suit a year later, the report said.

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