Eduardo Castillo

Eduardo Castillo's career experience includes working in retail.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm Eduardo Castillo, a resident of Monmouth County, partner to a very lovely girl, and retail worker, just trying to make ends meet, like everyone else. I'm not cosplaying, I am a working class American, I've worked over 6 retail jobs, and I'm currently a retail worker, as of the writing of this post. I know what it's like to live paycheck to paycheck, to stress over bills that need to get paid, to be concerned over a lack of personal time, inability to connect with strangers, and family more, due to the constant excess of work. I know what it's like to pay hundreds in groceries, to go fill up gas, and have it be over 50 dollars, to worry about medical debt that keeps racking up, I am there, and I think we should do better, and that we can do better here, in the United States.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Workers’ Rights

Just-cause firing

$31 minimum wage indexed to inflation

Guaranteeing at least 15 paid vacation days per year

Providing up to 60 days of paid leave after miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion

Guaranteeing paid period leave

Banning polygraph tests for employment

Ending taxes on tips for service and hospitality workers up to a certain tip income

Ending taxes on overtime work

Legally mandated breaks

A right to disconnect law

Ban wages from being garnished over unpaid medical billsAI Regulation:

Tax AI data centers

Require all books that use AI to include a detailed breakdown of how AI was used in its creation

Ban AI using human voices

Ban humanoid robots

Ban AI super intelligence

Ban AI from holding elected or appointed office

Ban AI housing price gougingPlan for Youth and Parents:

Free school meals for all students

Increased child tax credit

Send new parents baby boxes with supplies such as diapers, baby clothes, feeding items, health items, childhood educational items, and more

Free childcare, Pre-K, and 4-year college for all

Banking

Capping ATM fees at $2.00

Capping credit card interest rates at 10%

Banning credit scores from being used for setting car insurance rates

A public option in banking

Privacy rights

A comprehensive online data privacy law

A comprehensive genetic data privacy law

Energy Costs:

Publicly-owned utilities

An energy price freeze

Tax and regulate AI data centers

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Education, Healthcare, and Economic, and AI regulation.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am Eduardo Castillo, originally born in the Dominican Republic, and immigrated to the United States in 2010 with my mother, and two brothers to live with my dad, who was frequently traveled to New York, and New Jersey, but has settled down in Georgia. I graduated from Glenn Hills Highschool in Augusta, Georgia, worked at a retail grocery store as my first job at 19 years old, then worked in Burlington, before moving to New Jersey a year ago to work in Macy's, then to work at Burlington again, before settling down with my current retail job. I'm interested in politics, the arts, and psychology.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Workers’ Rights

Just-cause firing

$31 minimum wage indexed to inflation

Guaranteeing at least 15 paid vacation days per year

Providing up to 60 days of paid leave after miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion

Guaranteeing paid period leave

Banning polygraph tests for employment

Ending taxes on tips for service and hospitality workers up to a certain tip income

Ending taxes on overtime work up to a certain income

Legally mandated breaks

A right to disconnect lawHousing

A public option in housing

Just-cause eviction

Right of first refusal for tenants

Ensuring renters have the right to form tenant unions free from retaliation

Ensuring no victim can be evicted on the basis of their assault

Removing and replacing anti-homeless architecture

Banning landlords from passing on broker fees to tenants

Rent stabilization— no rent increasesEducation, Childcare, and Youth

Universal free childcare

Universal free school breakfast and lunch

Remove means testing on the free college program and extend it to include 4-year college

Guaranteeing a base salary of $65,000 per year for teachers and childcare workers

Ending standardized testing in Pre-K - 12 schools

10 mental health days per school year for students

Funding air conditioning in every New Jersey classroom

Updating school ventilation systems

Funding school laundry machines in low-income communities

Banning corporal punishment in private schools

Banning school suspensions and expulsions in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Elementary School

Providing free menstrual products in all school restrooms and nurses offices

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Education, Healthcare, and Economic policies.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to Former New York Senator Robert F Kennedy. I want to follow his example of compassion, unity, and willingness to change personal beliefs, for the betterment of society.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The most important characteristics and principles for an elected official center on integrity, public service, and effective governance. These qualities ensure the official acts ethically, serves the interests of their constituents, and can competently execute the duties of the office

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To listen, to learn from constituents, and to serve in the best interest of the public, without being tied down to corrupt political institutions, that only serve to serve themselves, to the detriment of the public.

What legacy would you like to leave?

A legacy of love, compassion towards one another, and eagerness to improve upon the foundations of our democratic, humane, imperfect society.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first historical event that I've remembered was the tragic sandy school shooting, when I was 9 years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Retail worker at KJ's market, a regional grocery store in the South. I've had it for 6 months, before quitting to start college.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Jimmy Carter: A Comprehensive Biography from Plains to Post-Presidency

I really enjoyed the book, because it showed the hardships of public service, the toll it takes on your mental well-being, and personal live, and how despite it all, you can persevere and still make changes to the benefit of humanity.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Superman

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Self confidence. I struggle to find the best within my self, and the motivation to thrive in a world that's so fast paced, unfair, and ever changing.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

The ideal relationship between the governor, and state legislature, is a cooperative one built on trust, acknowledging differences, and working on solutions that are feasible.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

The cost of living, democracy, political division, and the lack of meaningless that many of us feel from day to day, and those are the challenges that I want to work on.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Not necessarily, if that was the case, then we wouldn't be in this mess that we find ourselves in.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely, as I've said previously a the ideal relationship between lawmakers, is a cooperative one built on trust, acknowledging differences, and working on solutions that are feasible

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Bernie Sanders, Al Gore, and Robert F. Kennedy (Sr)

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Like every politician yes, but what I'm more interested in is working within my local community to find the best solutions that meet the present moment.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

If I had to pick one story that really stayed with me, it's the one I heard from Mrs. Elena Rodriguez of Marlboro.

Mrs. Rodriguez is a retired elementary school teacher, a widow in her late 70s, who lives on a fixed income. She takes enormous pride in her small home and her garden. Her story wasn't about a big political issue, but about the cumulative weight of small, systemic failures.

She told me about how the cost of her prescription medications has quietly but relentlessly risen over the last few years. She now has to choose between filling all her scripts every month or delaying necessary home repairs.

The real heart of her story, though, was about the sidewalk in front of her house. It's been cracked and uneven for years. She's called the city repeatedly, but nothing gets done. She had a bad fall last winter, resulting in a fractured wrist, not because of ice, but because she tripped on one of those cracks.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

It should absolutely grant the use of emergency powers. To only have that power reserved for the executive branch would be dangerous. We need check, and balances in our governments.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

A bill to enact a statewide singlepayer healthcare system.

Would a state ballot initiative process be good or bad for your state?

Anything that gives more power to the people is good in my book.

Candidates hear many personal stories from voters. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching or memorable?

I was talking with a woman named Maria in my district. She's a single mother of two, working two part-time jobs—one early in the morning and one late at night—just to make ends meet. Her daughter, who is an incredibly bright high school junior, was recently accepted into a selective summer STEM program at our state university. It was a huge opportunity, one that could truly change her life and future.

The tuition and fees for the program, however, were just out of reach, even with the scholarships they were able to secure. Maria told me, with tears welling up in her eyes, about the crushing stress of knowing her daughter had earned this incredible chance, but that a few thousand dollars could be the barrier that stopped her.

What struck me wasn't just the financial struggle, but the sheer resilience and determination of both mother and daughter. Maria wasn't asking for a handout; she was describing a system where hard work alone wasn't enough to open the door to opportunity. She talked about the broken childcare system that ate up most of her second paycheck, the high cost of living, and the lack of state investment in programs that provide a true leg up for working families.

Her story isn't unique, but hearing it directly—the weight of that mother's love and the fight in that daughter's spirit—really solidified my commitment to fighting for legislation that directly addresses things like affordable childcare, increased educational grants, and fairer wages.

It was a powerful reminder that when we talk about policy, we're not talking about abstract numbers or programs; we're talking about real people, real families, and real futures. It's those personal struggles that fuel my desire to serve.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?

An accomplishment that I am proud of is meeting my lovely girlfriend, and hopefully forever cherishing her in my heart.

What legislation would you enact related to election administration in your state?

Same-day voter registration