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Mathew Castillo

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This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Mathew Castillo
Image of Mathew Castillo

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments
Last election

August 6, 2024

Education

High school

Port Huron High School

Associate

St. Clair County Community College, 1996

Bachelor's

University of Michigan, 2000

Personal
Profession
Business owner
Contact

Campaign website

Mathew Castillo (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Michigan House of Representatives to represent District 64. He lost in the Democratic primary on August 6, 2024.

Castillo completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Mathew Castillo earned a high school diploma from Port Huron High School. He earned an associate degree from St. Clair County Community College in 1996, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan in 2000. His career experience includes working as a business owner.[1]

Elections

2024

See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 64

Joseph Pavlov defeated John Anter in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 64 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Joseph Pavlov
Joseph Pavlov (R)
 
61.0
 
29,808
Image of John Anter
John Anter (D) Candidate Connection
 
39.0
 
19,026

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 48,834
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 64

John Anter defeated Mathew Castillo and Ken Heuvelman in the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 64 on August 6, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of John Anter
John Anter Candidate Connection
 
58.5
 
3,205
Image of Mathew Castillo
Mathew Castillo Candidate Connection
 
27.8
 
1,523
Image of Ken Heuvelman
Ken Heuvelman Candidate Connection
 
13.8
 
755

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 5,483
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 64

Joseph Pavlov defeated Jorja Baldwin, Gary Eisen, Ryan Maxon, and Dan Geiersbach in the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 64 on August 6, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Joseph Pavlov
Joseph Pavlov
 
31.8
 
3,793
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Jorja Baldwin
 
30.0
 
3,581
Image of Gary Eisen
Gary Eisen
 
28.5
 
3,401
Image of Ryan Maxon
Ryan Maxon
 
5.0
 
594
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Dan Geiersbach
 
4.6
 
551

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 11,920
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Campaign finance

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Castillo in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Mathew Castillo completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Castillo's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I am Mathew Castillo, I have been a member of the local community nearly my entire life. I have lived in California, but I call Michigan home. I went to high school here and went to community college and university in Michigan. I am a hard working business owner that wants to see Michigan do better. I simply want to help my community. It was obvious to me when local veterans were having a difficult time applying for benefits, and when our school aged kids know little about financial literacy. 
    There are programs in place and there are people to help however sometimes the public at large is unaware of the help that's available to them.  In my area I have been helping the public and serving the public for over 20 years.  My family consists of the elderly, veterans, male, female, servicemen/women, teachers, manufacturing workers, union workers, business owners, family with disabilities, professionals and so many more.  I have very strong ties to friends and family.  I would like to help everyone however I know I can't.  I can try my best!
Before running for office I spoke to my 14 year old son and asked his permission. He recognized my desire and knew I've wanted to run for office for many years but I've been busy raising him. As a single father he has been my priority. However with his blessing I hit the ground running and to the campaign trail for State Representative. When you see me please say hello and tell me about yourself.
  • Students need Financial Literacy not as a half credit but full time knowledge. They need to know how to financially care for themselves once they are out on their own. We can help the kids in Michigan by educating them on things life personal finance, investing, retirement accounts, student loans, what are some important things to consider when purchasing a home, or do you buy or rent? As adults we find we know this information and assume kids have learned it in school, they have not. There are some that know it, I would just like all to know it. If we prepare them well now they will NOT need our help in the future or in their retirement.
  • Healthy lunch options with fresh food choices. There are some schools that do a good job at providing students with healthy lunches however we can make this a reality for everyone. There are ways to partner with local farms for produce, and there are options to grow fresh produce in schools. The fresh produce in the schools can be spearheaded by staff and grown by students. When interviewed the students that have fresh salads and produce love to eat it during their lunch time. There are indoor growing farms that utilize florescent light, welcome to Michigan schools where there is no shortage of florescent light. If we can initiate a healthier lifestyle in public and private schools then we collectively make MI better.
  • Allowing veterans to have easy full access to health care. These people that have chosen to serve the USA have done so very selflessly. Each and every one of them deserve our full support when they are trying to apply for health care and benefits. Whether they fought in any battle or not they served and their lives were on the line. If they had been called to fight they would have done so because it is their duty. It is now our duty to provide them with the support they need when they are no longer in active service. We should not put stipulations on our help they shouldn't need to have been exposed to deadly anything, they merely needed to have served for the United States of America.
Certain public policies bother me when I see children trying to have a good time by skateboarding or roller blading then I see a sign that says no public skateboarding. Or when I go to a public bike trail and then I read a sign that says no electric bikes. The point of being a healthy place to live is to have things for the public to enjoy, places to exercise, ways to be healthy.
How can Michigan go from 32nd in healthy sates in 2019 to number 1? We currently rank 29th in the USA for healthy living. If we were to construct parks and play areas with health and fitness in mind the rest of the country would see us as a leader in health. Maybe we should stop limiting our citizens from being healthy and support this locally.
There is no one person I look up to specifically. However there are many people including political figures, actors, family, and friends. Each of the persons I look up to is for different reasons be it their individuality, their success, their ability to overcome obstacles all are reasons I look up to them and they all are different.
I would recommend Warren Buffets letters to shareholders from the Berkshire Hathaway annual meetings. 
    I would also recommend all of the Harry Potter Books, they are a fantastic read and I enjoyed each and every one of them.
I would also recommend both films by Stephen Spielberg "Schindler's List" and "Empire of The Sun" both are riveting and captivating films.
Honesty and integrity. The public needs to know they can ask a public official for help and if it is in their ability they'll do it. When people are elected into office they need to support their entire populous not just the ones that donated to the campaign. 
    Elected officials are and should be an example of what the people want the country to be.  We are all human we all make mistakes and we allow everyone to do so.  However when they make a mistake let them own up to that and move on from it.  As long as they are trying to benefit the masses and it doesn't cause harm they should  do what they can.  Too many times the community hears of public officials making deals that benefit themselves and not their constituents.  We need to ask them to stay their moral compass and do what is morally right.
Elected officials should be available to the public and they should not hide behind a secretary and excuses of meetings. They need to be present and make the public aware that they are available to talk.
I have the ability to get along with anyone even if they don't get along with me. It takes work to build friendships and to maintain them. I have tried very hard over the years to stay in contact with many people. Each of the people I am friends or acquaintances with offer me different perspectives on life and how to deal with situations. I have always been a good negotiator and believe that will help me hold office as well. I have a family that I love a son I'm exceedingly proud of and a successful business. All are reasons I feel I'd make a good State Representative.
I believe that my core responsibilities are to keep my promises I made during my campaign or try my hardest to see them come to fruition. Obviously there are job duties that are required to be done daily and all duties should be executed with the public in mind.
It is my job to find ways to keep taxes in check and overt them when possible. When I've spoken to the public either walking around, going door to door, or going to public events one of everyones concerns is taxes and how to keep them down. This was a consideration across the board whether I spoke to someone far right, far left, or right in the middle. Being that it is a consideration of everyone I spoke with it will be a core focus of mine as well. Anything I do not know I can learn, anything I do focus on will be seen, I will help where needed and I will stop when its time.
I would like to leave a legacy of peace, education, and wealth for the common goal of making society stronger and healthier.
I don't recall the first but I do I remember in no particular order when the Berlin Wall came down, I remember when Saddam Hussein was executed, riots in Los Angeles, protesters in Minneapolis/NYC/ across the US due to George Floyd, I remember the Gulf War and the burning of the Kuwaiti oil fields, the Challenger Space Shuttle exploding I watched from school, and I will always remember 9/11. So I suppose at the youngest I was 10 years old but it's not to say if someone mentioned something else I wouldn't recall it. There have been so many things in my life that have been a historical happening that I can recall.
The very first job I ever had was making vegetable boxes on a farm when I was a very young boy. I was paid per box and got my money at the end of the day by the farm owners wife. The only thing that excited me about that job was that I made enough money to buy an ice cream for my ride home with my parents and brother.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, because it was a wonderful creation of fantasy and went on to be a great book series.
Come on who wouldn't want to be Superman? That is 100% the fictional character I'd like to be.
AJR's "Bang" I just took my son to see them in concert and this song still plays in my head lol!
Raising my son as a single father and wanting the best that life has to offer for him, while dealing with his own struggles of maturity. Weighing his wants and desires against the idea of what I have set up for him in my mind. Letting go of the idea of family I have in my head versus reality and what's in front of me. My desire is that he be better than me in every way. The reality is that because of the way I raised him he already is. I simply couldn't ask for a better son than the one I have now.
I would like it if the Governor kept me apprised of the plans for Michigan and any changes he/she might be thinking about making to Taxes either increases or decreases. 
    It is the duty of both the Governor and the Legislature to be amicable so we might come to agreements for our constituents.
Our working relationship should be good and fluid we should be able to bring any issues to the forefront without fear of reprisals.
I think that retaining and growing our youth population will be a challenge in Michigan, while making Michigan a place people want to come live versus other states.
We also need to consider our carbon footprint. There are people who do not want solar farms and wind farms in Michigan or at least in their neighborhood so it will be an uphill battle to find locations to accept these utilities.
No, I don't think it's necessary for anyone to have the experience first. There are many jobs that people get or apply to where they learn on the job. Sometimes those people make better employees or legislators. When they have pervious experience they might not realize they are making the same mistake. Also in politics it may be easier for a new face to form bonds or working relationships with others in a similar situation.
Experience only gets us so far then we have to rely on hard work and dedication. All too often we see congressmen and women quitting and giving up their position because they fell there is too much red tape involved with getting anything done. This is where the work really begins. we are all going to be told no, however it's how we face that no and what we do to resolve the issue going forward. We need to have tenacity and grit to overcome any obstacle and our perseverance will determine that.
Yes, it absolutely is a necessity to build working relationships with other legislators. The same as people need working relationships in any other job, especially with legislators. We may need to partner with them on a bill or they may need our help and support to get a bill passed that is beneficial for our community. If we are not working together for a common goal we should not be in politics. There is no one I can think of that built a road, house. bridge, town, etc. by themselves. Politics is no different we are working together to build a better Michigan, we will need everyone's help.
No, there are good and bad things I see in many of them. I would prefer to be my own example for others to look at. I like things that JFK did along with President Regan, Governor Granholm and so many others but you can't take one thing they did and say I want to do that. When we do we loose our sense of individuality.
I would simply like to do good, have good moral character, and be a leader others can look up to. when kids see me I want them to ask about my job. I want them to be interested in civics and politics. We need to motivate the next generation to do better. That's what I do for my son and that is what I want to do for other children, help them be better.
I would love to run for Governor, however that is in the future and I need to focus my attention on what's in front of me at the moment. I need to secure my seat as a State Representative first and go from there.
Without getting too personal there was a mother and father that was telling me about their handicapped daughter. She is in a wheelchair and faces medical problems daily. They said she was not at the top of her class in school. She did however manage to navigate life very happily and face her disability head-on. Her parents said she needed a letter of reference to help her get into college. Their daughter had met with a congressmen and formed a short friendship with him. After asking him to write a letter of recommendation she was admitted to college. Her parents said it was the highlight of her life to that point and that she never forgot that glowing recommendation. Their daughter still lives with her disability but has finished school and now is a mother.
Her story reminded me that you don't have to change the world to make an impact you only need to make one small change to be able to help.
Nope, Im terrible at telling jokes and remembering punch lines.
I do think that Executive authority needs to be balanced by oversight. If we do not check the authority given to one person we are missing the fact that it presents the potential for abuse when any one person has such broad authority.
There may be a state or national emergency that requires emergency powers to be given. However this does not mean it should be in perpetuity. We need to have a resolve or an end time in mind when these powers are granted. At the very least we need to monitor the authority that we give any one person.
I would introduce a Financial Literacy Bill so in all schools it becomes a necessary requirement. Currently the governor has just made it a half credit requirement in schools. I want all schools to teach this on a beginning level towards graduation. There should be multiple levels of Financial Literacy taught in schools.
I met a young lady that was happy she got her first credit card. I asked her what her interest rate is and she replied happily with a 29.99% interest rate. I nearly fell over. Kids and adults alike should not be happy with a 30% interest rate on revolving credit. If they were taught the implications of this sooner rather than later it would benefit society as a whole.
Many people in the community have donated to my campaign
Education, and Military Veterans and Homeland Security interest me.
All too often the government doesn't hold themselves or others accountable when it comes to mass failures. This includes the city of Detroit, Flints water crisis, and many more.
I feel that all government should have financial transparency and hold townships, people, and themselves responsible when necessary.
Changes can be a good or a bad thing it's hard to say whether or not a change would be negative. I believe that when the people want change it will happen. If we did change the ballot initiative process it should be easier, possibly by lowering the signature requirement by a percent.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Mathew Castillo campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2024* Michigan House of Representatives District 64Lost primary$1,582 $0
Grand total$1,582 $0
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

See also

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External links

Candidate

Michigan House of Representatives District 64
  • Website
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    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 4, 2024


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