Youseff Baddar

Youseff Baddar was born in Toledo, Ohio. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Toledo in 2018. Baddar's career experience includes working as a theatre teacher with the Bounty Collegium in Toledo.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio with a combination of my mother's midwestern work ethic and my father's resilience as a Palestinian refugee. My education mirrors my multicultural upbringing as I attended both private and local public schools in Toledo and Sylvania. After graduating from Sylvania Southview High School, I went on to study theatre at The University of Toledo while also taking many classes to feed my passion for history. It was during my time there that I learned the most valuable skill of my education: how to step into other people's shoes. Empathy.

My diverse background gives me the perspective needed to see how damaging our divisive two party system really is. In my travels abroad, I saw how the "us versus them" narrative can tear at a nation's very foundation, and I don’t want to see it worsen any more here at home. Now I teach history at The Bounty Collegium in downtown Toledo and plan to practice what I preach to my students, fix the future by learning from the past and acting in the present. The next step in this mission is to act as our district representative from OH-5 in Congress.

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?

As an Independent candidate I will be free to represent the needs of the people and not a party.Issues that affect every American such as affordable healthcare, unemployment, homelessness, taking care of our veterans, voting rights and gun laws all have solutions that the majority of people accept, but the crippling partisanship leaves congress gridlocked. I will work on both sides of the aisle to address these issues the way the American people deserve.Let’s put an end to electing representatives more loyal to their PAC donors and Parties than they are to the needs of their constituents.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Making sure we effectively spend our tax dollars in ways that best serve the ordinary citizens of our country, and ensuring the equal rights and treatment of all Americans regardless of faith, ethnicity or socio-economic status.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

The film “Irresistible” written and directed by John Stewart. This satirical take on political campaigns brilliantly, and hilariously, outlines the problems of party politics and the way our political machine is funded that leaves so much room for corruption.

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

Honesty, integrity and loyalty to the people they represent and not their party.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

One major one: empathy. As a theatre major I learned how to truly and genuinely step into someone else's shoes and understand them, and it’s that skill I believe will let me not only connect with my constituents but also work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, whether I agree with all their views or not.

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

To truly connect with their constituents on a human level, and put all their effort into making their voices heard and serving their needs.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Proving to the American people that we are not trapped in this crippling two party system, and that an Independent CAN win and voting for one is not just a “wasted” or “protest” vote.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The atrocious terror attacks of 9/11. Though I was only 6 years old, I remember my father sitting me down in front of the TV and telling me, “everything was going to be different now.”

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

I was a cart pusher at Meijer working for minimum wage, and worked there for just under a year during my junior year at Sylvania Southview High School.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Anything from the "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series. I have always loved ancient history and mythology, so these books were a no brainer.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Captain Jack Sparrow from "The Pirates of the Caribbean" movies. Not because he's a lawless pirate, but because he was a rebel who in the end always did the right thing, and hilariously so.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

"Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes, but we need to take it one step further and limit the number of terms a representative can serve in the same office.

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