Ocean County GOP Head Balks At Endorsing Trump

Endorsing Donald J. Trump as the Republican presidential candidate could impact local races in Ocean County and not in a good way.

Members of the Ocean County Republican Organization have left the decision up to county GOP Chairman George R. Gilmore, according to app.com

Gilmore is leaning towards not endorsing any GOP presidential candidate and having Trump, Ted Cruz and John Kasich run on their own columns in the June primary, not on the GOP column in the June primary.

Top county Republican officials met at a local restaurant recently to discuss the Trump matter and how to address it. Party officials will meet again at their March 30 convention.

Longtime Ocean County Freeholder John C. Bartlett Jr. has described Trump's style as "fascism-lite." Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy turned down an offer to serve as a potential Trump delegate at the Republican National Convention.

An endorsement for any candidate would mean that Trump, Ted Cruz or John Kasich would appear on the top line of the same ballot column as the Republican incumbents for county government and Congress in the June 7 primary.

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Photo credit: Patch file photo.