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With No Independent Candidates Running, GOP and Dems Will Fight for Control of Brick Council

The Brick Township municipal complex. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

The Brick Township municipal complex. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

There won’t be any spoilers in the race to control the majority of seats on the Brick Township council.

In addition to Tuesday’s primary elections for Democrat and Republican party members, it was also the deadline for independent candidates to register their petitions to have their names appear on the general election ballot in November. In Brick, no independent candidates did so.



That leaves Brick residents with a choice between the Republican and Democrat slates for office in 2019. Each side’s ticket ran unopposed.



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Republicans have not won a municipal office seat in Brick this decade, however Brick residents have given the GOP considerable support in statewide and national elections. Brick Republicans will try to chip away at their 6-1 deficit on the council, with Jim Fozman – who was elected as a Democrat but switched parties last year – representing the only Republican presence on the governing body. Fozman is up for re-election this year and is heading the GOP ticket. Ironically, the former Democrat garnered the most primary votes of any GOP candidate with 1,575 votes, signaling strong support from the party faithful heading into election season.

Fozman will be replaced on the Democratic ticket with Vince Minichino, who previously ran unsuccessfully for Ocean County freeholder. Incumbent council members Lisa Crate, Art Halloran and Andrea Zapcic, the current council president, round out the slate.

For the Republicans, political newcomers Max Flores and Neil Napolitano will run alongside Victoria Chadwick, who previously ran as part of an unsuccessful GOP council ticket in 2013.




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