Holmdel Township Committee Primary Election 2026: Joseph Romano

HOLMDEL, NJ — This year’s Republican primary race for Township Committee is packed in Holmdel with five candidates running for two of the party’s open spots.

Incumbent Joseph A. Romano is running for re-election to the committee against current member Gary Vanderham and his running mate Thomas “TJ” Mann, as well as challengers Ronald Emma and Kristin Celauro.

No one has filed a petition to run for committee in the Democratic primary race.

Ahead of the Primary Election, Patch posed several questions to Romano about his campaign platform, experience and what sets him apart from other candidates running. His replies are below.

Editor’s Note: The following article contains information about one of the candidates running for the Holmdel Township Committee in 2026. Responses are written as received by Patch and only edited for style.

Patch has contacted all other candidates in this race with the same questions and will post replies as they are received.

Are you running for the Holmdel Township Committee? Contact Sara Winick at sara.winick@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Patch.

Joseph Romano

Age: 43

Town Of Residence: Holmdel

Education: BA

Occupation: Healthcare

What drove you to seek public office?

When I first moved to Holmdel, the town was very divided. I wanted to get involved back then to focus on issues, not politics.

All things being equal, we are going through it again, and I’m still focused on issues, not politics.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?


I have the experience from my previous two years sitting on the committee, and I think I have my finger on the pulse of issues that need addressing.

What are past accomplishments or experiences that make you qualified for this position?

My track record from my current term is pretty solid, I think. I also own and run a fairly large healthcare management company, and I think a lot of those skills carry over to municipal government.

If re-elected, what will be your top priorities in your new role?


If re-elected, I will continue to fight to have the Township Committee pay for courtesy busing like we did last year and take the politics out of that issue.

I also believe we need to split the Vonage PILOT equally with the BOE to help them close their budget deficit and ease the tax burden for our residents.

The preservation of Holmdel’s open space has been a hot topic in the local community. If re-elected, how will you address residents’ concerns about preservation?

In my current term, more open space has been preserved than has been in a very long time.

I will commit to continue looking at properties that make sense to preserve, and avoid those that don’t.

Name one thing about Holmdel that always makes you smile.

The schools! I moved to Holmdel because of the schools, and watching my children go through the system and flourish has been incredibly satisfying to watch.