Tom Herman

Tom Herman was born in Ohio and lives in California. Herman graduated from Bishop Amat High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in zoology from Cal Poly Pomona and a master's in museum science from Texas Tech University. Herman's career experience includes working in museums in Pennsylvania and Kansas for 12 years. He then worked for 10 years as administrator and director of Harvest the World Bible Institute in Guatemala, five years as a church administrator, and also as a teacher and real estate investor.[1][2]

Tom Herman did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was born in Ohio, but my family moved to California in the 60’s and I grew up there, attending Bishop Amat High School and Cal Poly Pomona where I got a bachelor degree in Zoology. I then got a masters degree in Museum Science from Texas Tech University and worked in museums in Pennsylvania and Kansas for 12 years.

I went to Guatemala in 1989 and spent 15 years working among the people there as Administrator and later Director of Harvest the World Bible Institute, where I also became a certified marriage and family counselor. I later worked as a church administrator where we were able to increase church finances dramatically through good administration and teaching. I speak fluent Spanish and learned something about the Hispanic culture and their needs. I met my wife Elda in Guatemala and three of our four children were born there.

Upon returning to the United States, I have worked principally as a church administrator, but I have also simultaneously worked as a Foster Parent, as a Realtor and as a real estate investor and property manager.

Overall, the majority of my experience has been in financial management and balancing budgets, something that seems to be lacking in Washington these days.

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?

I am a family man who loves God, my family and this nation, and I believe in putting God first in all that I do. The principles of honesty, integrity, hard work and service to others have guided my life and, if elected, are what will guide me in serving the people.I believe every person has the right to pursue their dreams without the government putting roadblocks in their way. I will work to reduce the size of government by eliminating agencies and programs that are not supposed to be handled at the federal level but rather at the state or local level. We need to get government interference out of our lives. I’m tired of watching our economy, the family, our country and our children’s future be destroyed by bad government policies. Let’s return this nation to government OF the people, BY the people and FOR the people.Many politicians have forgotten the true meaning of what it means to be a politician - one who works for the people. I have this very clear - I work for you, not you for a government that wants to implement their own agenda that many times harms us rather than helps us. Growing up I heard a term being applied to elected officials, and it has stuck with me over the years and defines how I would see myself if elected. That term? Public Servant.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

We need fiscal responsibility in government. It’s time to cut spending, eliminate unnecessary or duplicate agencies and programs, and balance the budget.

We need to secure our borders. Open borders have allowed terrorists, drug cartels, human traffickers and other criminals into our country, putting us all at risk.

We need term limits to help eliminate career politicians who are ruining this country. We need new leaders and fresh ideas in Congress rather than people catering to special interests.

I also believe in parents’ rights. Parents are the ones who should make decisions about their children and not some government official or school official.

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

Every elected official should be guided by the principles of honesty, integrity, hard work and service to others. They need to remember that they work for the people, not the people for the government, and all that they do should be for the benefit of all Americans and not just a select few.

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

My first job was selling Christmas trees during Christmas break from college. It lasted about three weeks and I made around $400, which was enough to pay for another year of college.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I believe we need term limits for all elected officials at all levels of government. Being an elected official was never meant to be a career position, but rather one citizen representing his fellow citizens and their needs. He knows those needs because he lives among them and shares his daily life with them. The Constitution established our government to be one run by the people for the benefit of the people, not by and for career politicians and their agenda.

Campaign website

Herman’s campaign website stated the following:

POLICY

I love God and love my country and believe every person has the right to pursue their dream without the government putting roadblocks in their way. I will serve you with the principals taught me by my parents and by which I have lived:

1. Work hard, but work smart

2. Never stop learning and improving yourself

3. Always do your best

4. Honesty and integrity

5. Be a giver and help others

6. Be early or on time, but not late

7. Economic principals

Don’t spend what you don’t have.

Adjust your lifestyle to match your income and expenses. An example of this principal is when we had three children in the university at the same time but did not incur any student debt. We adjusted our lifestyle to save up and have enough cash to pay tuition each semester.

These are principals that everyone in government should follow. Unfortunately, many politicians have forgotten the true meaning of what it means to be a politician – one who works for the people. I don’t want to be in government for my benefit but to seek the well being of all the people I represent, not just a select group. I have this very clear – I work for you, not you for a government that wants to implement their own agenda that many times harms us rather than helps us.

Career politicians need to stop giving away money that the government doesn’t have just to win votes because that only causes runaway inflation, and in the end hurts more people than it helps. We need fiscal responsibility and accountability in our government, and I will always fight for that!

Issues at Home

Washington has gotten out of control and needs to be reined in to where it will put the needs of the people first and not some woke agenda. In talking with people they have expressed concern about the following issues, so these are things that I will fight for.

Economic Responsibility - cut spending, eliminate agencies and programs that do nothing for us, and balance the budget.

Secure Borders - a country without secure borders is not a country. Open borders have allowed an unknown numbers of terrorists and drug dealers to enter this country, putting us all at risk. We still welcome people here, but let them come through the legal immigration process already established.

Term Limits - career politicians are ruining this country. Term limits will help control them and give place to new talent and fresh ideas on how to serve and protect the people of this country.

Strong Military and Law Enforcement - we need a military that is trained and equipped to protect our nation against all aggression. We need to support law enforcement so that they have the personnel and equipment to protect us, our homes and our businesses.

Parent's Rights - parents have the right to make the decisions that will affect their children, not some government official or school administrator that wants to do things without telling them.

Free Speech - no more double standards or censorship by government or Big Tech. We should be able to express our opinion without fear.

Religious Freedom - not freedom from religion, but the ability to worship God when we want, where we want and how we want.

Energy Independence - it's crazy to have our enemies among those who provide us energy. We have the resources to be energy independent, and should develop them. Wind and solar will never be able to supply all our needs, so lets return to the tried and true until some better technology comes along.

Foreign Policy

I believe in putting America first in all our dealings with foreign countries, So these are a few of the things that I will fight for.

Treaties and Trade Agreements - they should never be one sided but should always benefit the American people and our business community.

Accountability - we should demand accountability for all foreign aid given to make sure it is being used correctly and for the things it was given for.

Israel - we need to support Israel as our best friend and greatest ally in the Middle East.

China - we need to take a tougher stance against China and cut back our economic dependence on Chinese products. We need to hold them accountable for the theft of American technology and for the Fentanyl Crisis (they produce and send fentanyl here) that has caused the death of many Americans.[3]

—Tom Herman's campaign website (2024)[4]