Galloway Republicans Announce Candidates for 2013 Election

Galloway Township Mayor Don Purdy is the only one of three incumbent Republicans endorsed for a reelection bid following the Galloway Township Republican League’s (GTRL) meeting Monday night, March 25.

Purdy will be joined by challengers Frank Gargione, Robert Maldonado and Timothy Meadows in the pursuit of four open seats on Galloway Township Council in this November’s election.

Incumbent Republican Councilman Tom Bassford and incumbent Republican Councilwoman Whitney Ullman weren’t among the four named following Monday’s meeting.

Last week, the Galloway Township Democrats officially endorsed incumbent Jim McElwee and challengers Bill Montag, Cliff Sudler and Mike Suleiman in the pursuit of the four seats.

The deadline to register for the primaries is Monday, April 1.

“The campaign will be exciting with new faces, new ideas and new voices that will resonate in a bipartisan way with voters from all walks of life and all parties,” GTRL President Jorge Coombs said in a statement issued Monday night. “We are excited to present a unified ticket of such highly qualified and dedicated community leaders. These outstanding individuals represent the voices of Galloway and present an opportunity for the voters to make a choice for a ticket that represents the diversity of our great Galloway community.”

“This ticket is a winner. These fine individuals are winners,” GTRL Municipal Leader Steve Moliver said. “The people of Galloway win when they elect these dedicated and highly-qualified public servants.”

Purdy was first elected to council in 2009, and ascended to the seat of Mayor in 2011 after serving as Deputy Mayor. He owns DP Towing and Purdy Collision, and opened his third business, Purdy Automotive, earlier this year.

He is a lifelong resident of Galloway Township, and the son of Harry Purdy, Galloway Township’s first K-9 police officer. He graduated from Absegami High School in 1990, and was educated in the Galloway Township School District. He and his wife, Michelle, have four children: Donnie, Jonathan, Emily and Katelyn.

Gargione has been a member of the Galloway Township Zoning Board since 2008, and owns Bagel Gourmet, which has three locations in Galloway and Absecon. He was the Production Manager for Lenox China in Pomona until the plant closed in 2006.

He graduated from Holy Spirit High School in 1990, earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University in 1995, and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the school in 2002.

He coaches two little league baseball teams in Galloway, is the Immediate Past President of the Galloway Chapter of the Sons of Italy, and is a lifelong resident of the township. He currently lives in Leeds Point. He and his wife, Carrie, have two children: Frank and Nicholas.

Maldonado is a former Galloway Councilman, from 2000 to 2004. At that time, he served as a Democrat, but became a Republican in 2004, stating that he believed the party more closely aligned with his fiscal conservative values. He also saw the party as more inclusive of his personal beliefs.

He served in the Navy for 23 years before moving to Galloway in 1994 and taking on the role of a licensed private detective. He is currently a security officer in the Greater Egg Harbor Regional School District, and lives in the Pomona section of the township.

He describes himself as an advocate for empowerment for the Hispanic community and a spiritual leader. He and his wife, Sandra, have four children: Michael, Robert Manuel, Alexandra and Victoria.

Meadows was a member of the Galloway Township Board of Education for seven years, a member of the Galloway Township Planning Board for four years and is a longtime volunteer with the Galloway Police Athletic League (PAL).

He worked for New Jersey Bell/Bell Atlantic/Verizon for 27 years, in various capacities. He was born into a military family in California, and spent a portion of his formative years in Guam. He was in the Coast Guard for 26 years, including four as active duty and 22 as a reserve. He’s lived in Galloway for 28 years, and currently resides in the Pomona section of the township.

He and his wife, Traci, have been married for 12 years, and has three sons: Timothy Jr., Reggie and Kenneth. He has three step-children: Ryan, Danielle and Chelsea. He is also a guardian and surrogate father to his niece Kelsey, a special needs child whose parents died at a young age.

“The ticket represents diversity and inclusion, and is where the Republican Party and message is increasingly headed,” Moliver said.