Ron Bautista Launches Third Campaign for Hudson County Commissioner

Community advocate Ron Bautista officially launched his 2026 campaign for Hudson County Commissioner in District 5 during an event at The Waiting Room in downtown Hoboken, pledging to prioritize residents over political insiders and special interests.

Bautista is running for the District 5 seat for a third time. He previously challenged incumbent Anthony “Stick” Romano in 2020 and 2023, narrowing the margin in his most recent campaign.

“My father taught me to ask three questions about any policy or politician: Does it make sense? Does it bring out the best in people? Does it make things fair?” Bautista said. “When I look at our county government right now and ask those questions, it fails on every measure. I’m running to change that.”

Bautista immigrated from Ecuador and arrived in Hoboken at age 12 as an undocumented child. After receiving his green card, he began organizing with neighbors around safe streets, affordable housing, and immigrant rights.

“Once I got my green card, it was my green light to be an advocate, to stand up for the issues that I believe in, and to fight for real change,” Bautista said. “But we shouldn’t have to organize and fight back every single time.”

His campaign platform includes building affordable housing on county-owned land, tuition-free community college, and safer streets. “We need complete streets that are safe to cross whether you’re seven, like my daughter, or 70, like my mom,” Bautista said.

Bautista lives in Hoboken with his two daughters and cites his family as his motivation for seeking public office, calling them a measure of whether local government serves people of all incomes, ages, and abilities.