Benjamin Schauer

Benjamin Schauer earned a high school diploma from English Valleys High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa in 2016 and a graduate degree from Drake University in 2022. His career experience includes working as an educator and administrator.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Benjamin Schauer is a proud Iowa transplant who loves his adopted state! He lives in Dunlap and teaches band for the Boyer Valley Community School District. He is constantly present in his local community where he sits on the Dunlap City Council and the Dunlap Community Development Corporation board, serves as the Boyer Valley Education Association president, and helps organize the local fine arts scene as a member of the Iowa Western Arts Association board. He is also an active church musician and regularly serves on the worship team of his home congregation (Grace E-Free Church) and accompanies the Our Savior Lutheran Church choir.

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Benjamin was inspired to run for office because rural Iowans in House District 15 need a progressive choice on their ballots. We are seeing rural Iowa fade away at an alarming rate, and it's far past time we had representation in Des Moines that looks out for the needs of everyday rural Iowans.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Public education is the bedrock of any successful community. We must endeavor to provide world class resources for our students through quality teaching staff, curricula, and facilities. Education is the great equalizer that allows our young people to thrive in this world, and we are actively hacking away at its effectiveness through reactionary legislation and a dismantling of our public system.Our rural communities need more than just lip service - they need champions that will fight for what they need. All over this state we see mainstreet businesses shuttering, family farms being sold off, and young people leaving forever. We are in an existential crisis in rural Iowa, and we have little to show for it the past 10 years except steady population decline. I am committed to innovating solutions that bring quality jobs, housing, and healthcare to these regions while also prioritizing policies that will not limit our local governing boards from making decisions that will ultimately bring economic and social growth to our communities.I am committed to a people first agenda that talks about real issues like economic freedom, strong education and healthcare systems, and ensuring quality of life for all Iowans, not just those that can afford it. I will work with anyone that also desires to get this job done, regardless of political affiliation. It's far past time our legislators focused on people rather than their politics and political ambitions.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Public Education

Rural Revitalization

Strengthening Workers' Rights

Affordable and Accessible Healthcare

Economic Development

Strengthening and Supporting Local Government

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My personal political hero is FDR, a president who sacrificed his health for the sake of the American people in some of the darkest years of our history. His institutions, though under attack now, set us up to be an economic and social powerhouse and propelled us onto the world stage in a glorious fashion.

I also look up to his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, who advocated for the marginalized when he failed to do so. Her humanitarian work all throughout her life is inspiring, and her bold determination to use her status and privilege to do good is something we should all aspire to do.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Trustworthiness

Honesty

Transparency

Drive

Passion

Humility

Open-mindedness

Determination

Grit

Reliability

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Elected officials are called to serve the people and do what's in their best interests. This means sometimes voting against a political party or your own personal ideology.

We are also called to be good stewards of the office we are holding, meaning we must rise above pettiness and remember that our actions are a reflection on our constituents and the state itself.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Part of the Hippocratic oath for physicians is that they are to first, "do no harm." I think that's a strong goal to start with. The goal of public service is to leave the office in a stronger position than you found it. For me, this means leaving Iowans with a stronger sense of financial security, a restoration of our status as a top tier public education state, a creation of a healthcare system that is affordable and accessible for all Iowans, and, finally, restoring the political imbalance we see that has poisoned so many people's opinions of one another.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I worked at the Ralph Lauren Outlet store for nearly 5 years.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

They should be equal partners. I find it reprehensible that Governor Reynolds actively sought to primary her own party members when they voted in the interests of their constituents regarding the educational saving accounts.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Our economy is not as strong as our governor and legislature makes it out to be. You cannot slash income while simultaneously funding other pet projects that raise the budget. I worry about future funding cuts when our rainy day fund finally runs out (especially when it's sooner than projected).

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

With such a diverse set of needs and beliefs, compromise is often necessary. In our current trifecta, the lack of compromise needed to pass legislation can often lead to "bad bills" that are laced with outside interests and personal ideological projects.

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

I remember the 9/11 terror attacks. I was in 3rd grade at the time, but the fear of my teachers and family left a monumental impact on me.

Benjamin Schauer did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2024 Candidate Connection survey.