Slates Confirmed, Brick Council Race Begins In Earnest

BRICK, NJ — The campaign for the Brick Township Council begins in earnest now.

With the formalities of the 2019 primary election completed, get ready for what's sure to be a bumpy ride for the next five months as the Democrats and Republicans battle for the four council seats up for grabs.

Democrats Andrea Zapcic, Lisa Crate, Arthur Halloran and Vincent Minichino and Republicans James Fozman, Victoria Chadwick, Max Flores and Neil Napolitano were confirmed as the nominees for their respective parties Tuesday.

Zapcic, Crate, Halloran, and Fozman, all incumbents, will be looking to hold onto their seats, however, with Fozman on the opposite side of the political aisle this time.

Fozman had been a Democrat for years; he and his wife, Vera, had actively campaigned for Democratic candidates both locally and beyond, with Vera Fozman serving as the treasurer for gubernatorial candidate John Wisniewski until Wisniewski lost to Gov. Phil Murphy in the 2017 primary. However, Fozman had a falling out with the local Democrats a year ago over the chairmanship of the township's Democratic Municipal Committee. Fozman sought the position, but was challenged for it by Mayor John Ducey. Ducey received the nod from the committee in a vote Fozman challenged as being unfairly administered, and switched to the Republican party soon after.

In the months since switching parties, Fozman has been at odds with the council and Ducey continuously, making for often-contentious council meetings.

Fozman's three running mates all are newcomers, as is Minichino, whom the Democrats are hoping will be elected to unseat Fozman. The Republicans will be hoping to wrest control of the council from Democrats, who have been in the majority since Fozman and Ducey were elected to the council as running mates in 2011. The Democrats were in full control from 2013 until last June.

The unofficial vote totals from Tuesday night are as follows.

Republican candidates

• James Fozman, 1,575
• Victoria Chadwick, 1,527
• Max Flores, 1,496
• Neil Napolitano, 1,526

Democratic candidates

• Andrea Zapcic, 1,022
• Arthur Halloran, 962
• Lisa Crate, 993
• Vincent Minichino, 961

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