In a dramatic sign of unity, New Jersey Assemblyman Greg McGuckin, a longtime ally of former Toms River Mayor Mo Hill has officially applied to join the old Toms River Republican club, alongside current mayor and former foe Mayor Dan Rodrick, TLS has learned.

The move comes just one day before the annual Ocean County Republican convention, where the two clubs are expected to once again battle for the official certification.

Currently, the new Republicans for Ocean County club Republican party in Toms River as the Republicans for Ocean County, headed by Mo Hill, will attempt to fend off a challenge from the Toms River Regular Republican Club, to which Rodrick – and County Chairman George Gilmore belong.

In a statement to TLS, Mayor Rodrick thanked the Assemblyman, whose 10th district includes Toms River, for choosing “unity over strife.”

“I’m pleased to see that assemblyman McGuckin has chosen unity over strife. It’s time to put the Republican Party back together for the betterment of our town. I want to thank him for his leadership and the example he is setting for the rest of the party,” Rodrick told TLS.

The Republicans for Toms River group replaced the Toms River Regular Republican Club as the township’s official municipal Republican club at the 2021 nominating convention after then-Ocean County Republican Chairman Frank Holman, who was narrowly elected to replace the recently-resigned George Gilmore, was looking to push aside the Gilmore-influenced group.

Municipal clubs hold a lot of power when it comes to nominating candidates at the party conventions, where the 700 plus member Republican decide who should be party’s candidates on the ballot.

Toms River has 63 election districts, the most of any town in Ocean County, which determines how many votes each town gets at county Republican conventions, and is therefore very powerful within the county.

Because the rules allow for a “weighted vote” system so there can be proportional representation, each municipal club president gets one vote for themselves and one vote for every five election districts in their municipality.

Last year, Hill’s club narrowly won the vote to remain the official club, winning by a 116-109 vote.