Friendly jabs apparently have a way of piling up, or so Commissioner Joe Vicari’s decision to screen for the office of governor with the Ocean County GOP Committee on Feb. 6th would seem to indicate.

Vicari and Republican nominee favorite Jack Ciattarelli pushed and shoved in the same room four years ago, and now Vicari appears unwilling to let it go.

So the longtime officeholder’s screening for the office of governor (unless there is a more insidious establishment effort to block Ciattarelli’s lane, in order to recruit a more financially muscular replacement for Doug Steinhardt).

From the archives:

Moments after meeting veteran Freeholder Joe Vicari at tonight’s screening committee hosted by the Ocean County GOP, Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (R-16) took a good-natured swing at him from the podium.

Vicari has served as a freeholder for 36 years, the second longest serving countywide official in the state.

“I look forward to running with Joe Vicari,” Ciatarelli said with a grin. “I love that plank – term limits. Joe’s going to champion term limits.”

Some nervous and suppressed laughter gave way to several audible guffaws.

Ciattarelli knows the score here in a county where his rival, Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno, has a big leg up.
The powerful chairman, Ocean County GOP Icon George Gilmore, backs her.