(Middletown, NJ) Trenton needs more business people to represent New Jersey residents and fewer career politicians, says Rich Castaldo, the conservative Republican candidate for Assembly in District 13 in Monmouth County.
Castaldo, 41, is an entrepreneur who spearheaded a high-tech start-up business in the metropolitan area since he was in his teens.
A resident of Middletown, Castaldo runs an ad agency and marketing firm that focuses on helping businesses drive traffic to their websites and into their establishments. He is also an experienced film director and writer.
His campaign to win the LD-13 seat in the June 10 Republican Primary Election, is focused on making life more affordable for average New Jerseyans. Tackling the rising property taxes, unfriendly business environment and fixing the broken unfair school funding formula that is driving people into bankruptcy and out of the state. He also believes education in New Jersey needs to be focused more on preparing our children for the economy and world of tomorrow, rather than brainwashing students with the woke curricula pushed by Democrats and their supporters.
“I want our next generation to be ready to take on the world of tomorrow and once again make New Jersey the education powerhouse it once was before the woke left came in and turned our schools into indoctrination camps,” says Castaldo
Castaldo is also critical of the establishment state GOP leadership that has led to Republicans becoming a permanent minority party.
Many state legislators, he says, “don’t really do much of anything or even try to do anything more than collect a paycheck, take a photo at an event and show up every couple of years looking for votes to stay in office. I want Republicans to become the majority again, to lead New Jersey to a place of fiscal responsibility and prosperity. To do that will require hard work from Republicans and more outreach to voters. I’m willing to put in the time to do that and I want to work with other Republicans who will do the same thing.”

Castaldo, who was born in New York, moved to New Jersey over 15 years ago and graduated from Rutgers University cum laude with a degree from the school of management and labor relations - said his goal is to make life better for the people across New Jersey by looking at things like a business owner.

“When you run a business, you have to make smart informed decisions. You have to look at all of the details to know exactly how your actions are going to affect your company and its employees. I will do the same in Trenton. I’m not going there to enrich myself like many others do; I’m going there to solve problems that everyday people across New Jersey are confronted with and do what’s right for them.”

Castaldo says innovation and thinking outside the box are needed in a place where tired old ideas are recycled and reused putting the state right back in the same place it was, struggling and becoming more expensive.
“The key to create a thriving economy is to stay ahead of the curve. To continually innovate and find ways to be more efficient and effective,” he says.

To make New Jersey a business-friendly state that attracts corporate investment and entrepreneurs. New Jersey must cut its regulation and corporate taxes, which are among the highest in the country.

Noting that the state budget has grown by more than $20 billion since Phil Murphy became governor, Castaldo said New Jersey has a serious spending problem that the Democrats do not want to address and that too many Republicans are afraid to go near for fear of losing their connections that lead to lucrative government jobs and contracts.

“There is too much ‘going-along- to- get-along’ thinking in Trenton. I’m not that kind of guy. I’m not one to sit and watch as politicians enrich themselves at the expense of hard- working residents.”
INVESTING IN DREAMS
Castaldo was raised by a single mom, Lisa, who worked an on-call job at a local nursing home and his grandparents Helen and Pat. His grandfather was a former professional fighter and WWII veteran from Coney Island, Brooklyn
Castaldo credits his grandfather for fostering his interest in technology by buying him his first computer from RadioShack when he was only 8 years old. A gift that forever changed his life. Rich also had a talent in writing and by the time he was 14 wrote a feature-length screenplay that was purchased and produced by a major film production company in California.
Like many young people growing up, Castaldo worked menial jobs for modest hourly pay. Among his first jobs were stints at Best Buy and Home Depot. After a while he realized he wanted to be a business owner and launched his first company Atlantia Promotions, a printing and graphic design firm -- and never looked back.
One of his favorite quotes by author Tony Gaskins is: “If you don’t build your dream, someone will hire you to help build theirs.”
Castaldo says schools should help young people invest in their dreams and put them on a path to do something unique and satisfying with their lives. He said he would like to see more of the state school curriculum devoted to courses in entrepreneurism, business and technology. He also is an advocate for more trade schools and trade programs in schools so students can leave school with a valuable skill. “Not everyone is cut out to sit at a keyboard or behind a desk.”
“New Jersey has been headed in the wrong direction for too long. It’s time for Republicans to step up and fight to make the changes necessary for our hard- working residents,” said Castaldo. “I am one of those Republicans.”
To learn more about Rich Castaldo and his campaign go to https://castaldoforassembly.com/

LD 13 Encompasses: Aberdeen, Atlantic Highlands, Hazlet, Highlands, Holmdel, Keansburg, Keyport, Little Silver, Marlboro, Middletown, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Rumson, Sea Bright, Union Beach, West Long Branch