Brick Resident Emma Mammano Announces Bid For State Senate Seat

BRICK, NJ — Emma Mammano, a 19-year Brick resident, will make her second run at a New Jersey State Senate seat four years after she was unsuccessful in her attempt to unseat Republican Jim Holzapfel in 2017.

Mammano announced her bid on Monday, using the occasion of International Women’s Day to launch her campaign to represent the state's 10th legislative district. A stay-at-home parent with a background working as a mental health counselor and substance abuse prevention, Mammano said in a news release that she is running to provide District 10 with an "active and responsive" representative.

In 2017, Mammano ran on a platform of environmental protection, restoring school funding and enhancing access to healthcare, especially in terms of substance abuse. In a news release, Mammano said change is needed in the leadership that represents District 10. She is seeking to unseat Holzapfel, who has served as the State Senator representing the district since 2012.

“Although the incumbent has been a state legislator for 27 years, not many people could cite actions he’s taken to tangibly improve their lives,” Mammano said, adding that the senate seat would be a full-time commitment, not a “hobby.”

Mammano is pledging to be a Democratic representative who can bring resources to District 10. She specifically committed to provide more funding to Ocean County schools and said the county should be considered for infusions of capital funding infrastructure improvements.

Mammano lives in Brick Township's Midstreams neighborhood with husband Ronald and three children Gianna (14), Santino (12) and Lia (9). She holds a Master’s degree in psychology from Southern Illinois University and a Master’s in professional counseling from Monmouth.

She has worked as a mental health counselor and has worked in substance abuse prevention and has implemented a number of programs for middle and high school students in Brick Township. She also serves as an Ocean County committeewoman and is a trustee for the Democratic Club of Brick.

Mammano is a past president of the Ocean County Woman’s Caucus and served on the Brick Municipal Anti-Drug Commission. She now serves as a Commissioner on the Board of the Brick Housing Authority.