Victoria Bauman

Name: Victoria Bauman

Position Running For: Community Library Network

Phone: (714) 267-3631

Address: 1392 S. Reynolds Road, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 83814, United States

Website:

Twitter:

Email: victoriacbauman@gmail.com

Tell us a little about yourself and your family, how long you have lived in the area and your occupation.

I grew up in a conservative Christian home in southern California. I met my husband in a bible study group and after getting married we relocated to Los Gatos, CA where he was raised and was beginning a new business. The move to the San Francisco Bay area made me even more acutely aware that my values did not align with those of California. Gratefully, my husband and I had the opportunity to move away from the San Francisco Bay area to beautiful Coeur d’Alene in May of 2021. We brought with us my recently widowed grandmother and since being here our family has grown with the birth of our daughter in November 2022. We consider ourselves to be blessed to have been able to move to this wonderful place and call it home. Prior to moving to Idaho, I was the owner/instructor of a successful Pilates studio. Currently, I continue to teach Pilates part time.

1. Do you have experience as an elected official and if so, what was your position, and how would you describe your voting record?

No, I do not have experience as an elected official.

2. Please tell us about your activity as a Republican. Have you previously voted for candidates of other parties? If yes, explain.

I come from a politically active family. I have fond memories of walking precincts with my parents as a five-year-old pulling my radio flyer wagon with literature in it. My parents raised me with the example of being politically active. As a teen I helped start the Republican club at my high school and volunteered for campaigns before I was able to vote. On my 18th birthday, I registered as a Republican and have voted Republican in every presidential election since then. After college, I worked in public affairs for various campaigns. Most notably were for John Campbell’s U.S. Congressional and Rudy Giuliani’s presidential campaigns. Being from California I have voted for Independent and Libertarian candidates down ballot as often there are no Republicans running. At some point during early adulthood, I registered Libertarian as I was very liberty focused and did not feel that the California republican party was reflecting my small government and freedom centered beliefs. California has open primaries so I could vote for any party as a Libertarian. Upon moving to Idaho, I originally registered as a Libertarian because I did not fully realize the limitations it would cause my voting in a closed primary system. I promptly changed my registration so that I could participate fully in the primary process. I have always used my votes in support of freedom, prosperity, and opportunity. Here, I have found the Republican party to be truly conservative and liberty focused creating an excellent fit with my personal beliefs.

3. What is the purpose of government?

I love history and believe that the founding principles of our country are the best descriptors of the purpose of government. Government exists to secure fundamental individual rights, as well as the rights of the people to govern themselves. I believe in small, limited government that stays out of people’s lives as much as possible.

4. Describe why you are running for this particular office. What are your qualifications? What are your goals?

Libraries are an important part of our American heritage dating back to colonial times with the support of founding fathers Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. Libraries provide valuable resources, programs, and opportunities for lifelong learning. They are a special part of our community by allowing access to people of all ages. Support services for adults include having access to broad types of information, promoting digital literacy, preserving history, and providing social support by building community. For children, libraries offer many resources and programs that promote early learning, literacy, and social-emotional skills along with providing opportunities for family engagement and developing community connections. I have experienced this with my daughter as we attend a weekly program at our local library. Books are the gateway to creativity, a love of learning and a bright future for all adults and children. Very importantly, children need to develop strong reading skills that will benefit them their entire life by being exposed to healthy, age-appropriate content while being protected from explicit non-age-appropriate material. I am running for this position because I believe community members such as myself can serve in meaningful ways by volunteering, but also by being an elected official. I am a thoughtful, articulate, quick learner who shares the common beliefs and values of our community and wants to contribute in an impactful way. I believe I will be an asset to the Community Library Network.

5. Describe experiences where you are or have been engaged such as non-profit organizations, clubs, churches, boards, commissions, etc., where you have been of service to others.

I have always revered our founding documents, especially our Constitution. My college degree is in Communications with an emphasis in International Relations and I was able to combine my love of the Constitution with my communication skills as Communications Director for the nonprofit, Constituting America. This non-profit was founded to educate children about the importance of the U.S. Constitution in their lives. I still volunteer for some of their events and serve as a judge for their annual contest. Over the years I have volunteered at various churches and charities. As a preteen my parents became missionaries in the Caribbean and North Africa where my brother and I served with them. I was part of many clubs in both high school and college. I find service to others to be truly rewarding.

6. Do you describe yourself as fiscally conservative? Please, elaborate:

I am fiscally conservative; I believe that the government has a duty to be responsible with spending as their money is the people’s. Government spending should not be frivolous or without regard to the will of the governed. Individuals, such as I, must balance their budgets and make tough decisions. The government should be held to this same standard. People should keep more of their hard-earned money through lower taxes and less burdensome regulations.

7. Do you consider yourself as socially conservative? Please elaborate:

I am definitely a social conservative by being unequivocally prolife, pro-marriage, pro-family and pro-liberty! As I stated before I was raised with traditional Christian conservative values. My husband and I are raising our family with those same values.

8. Describe which party platform best aligns with your positions on public policy (Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or Constitutional Party) and where do you disagree with that platform:

The Republican platform best aligns with my core beliefs. According to RNC.org, “the principles of the Republican Party recognize God-given liberties while promoting opportunity for every American.” I believe America is a beacon of freedom to the world and I want to maintain the liberty for which our founders fought so hard. Per the RNC, the Republican platform is, “centered on stimulating economic growth for all Americans, protecting constitutionally guaranteed freedoms, ensuring the integrity of our elections, and maintaining our national security. We are working to preserve America's greatness for our children and grandchildren.” I strongly agree with these stated positions. I believe the Republican party is the most pro-life party, but my personal pro-life beliefs are more conservative than the RNC’s.

9. Do you have any history of tax liens, criminal record, bankruptcy or conflict of interest that may affect your future decisions or desirability to be voted into office?

No, I do not have any history of tax liens, criminal record, bankruptcy or conflict of interest that may affect my future decisions or desirability to be voted into office.

10. Describe how you will make yourself available to your constituents and vote as their representative with FORTITUDE, adhering to the values and answers you have stated above.

I believe that all elected officials have a duty to their constituents; it is all about the people you represent. It is important to listen to one’s constituents and gather their input to make the best decisions. My goal is to be available to my constituents. I would achieve this by participating in town halls, answering questions, responding to letters/emails, and being involved directly in the community. It will be important for me to hear and understand my constituents’ needs, expectations, values, and views on all issues. I am a person of conviction and firmly believe with influence comes great responsibility. My votes, conduct, and actions will reflect those I serve.