Businessman, Saxonburg native running for district judge
A well-known entrepreneur whose family has been in business in the Saxonburg area since 1936 is running for district judge in the Southeastern Magisterial District 50-3-03.
Christopher Bauman, 53, of Clinton Township, officially declared his candidacy in January for the seat currently held by the retiring Sue Haggerty.
Bauman will run on both the Democratic Party and Republican Party tickets for the district judge seat, which is in Saxonburg. The primary election is on May 16.
He has owned and operated Bauman’s Compute-a-Line on South Pike Road in Jefferson Township for 33 years.
Bauman is a Freemason and a Shriner, a volunteer counselor at the Butler County Prison, and is active in his church, Westminster Presbyterian.
“I’ve always been interested in public service, but I’ve been turned off horribly by politics in general,” Bauman said. “This is a way to get into public service without all the negativity involved in a political campaign.”
He said district judge is a very important position in the community, as it is the first stop in the judicial system in Pennsylvania.
“For most people, that is their one and only experience in a courtroom,” Bauman said.
He will complete the required certification course for district judge in June in Harrisburg.
“My goal is not to win an election,” Bauman said. “My goal is to be an exemplary district judge.”
He said Haggerty’s will be big shoes to fill, as she has served the community well for many years.
“If I can be half as good as Judge Haggerty, then I will be more than good for the community,” Bauman said.
Bauman has two daughters, aged nine and 14.
He will face Jack Ripper, Penn Township policeman, in the race for the district judge seat.
Magisterial District 50-3-03 includes Saxonburg plus Buffalo, Clinton, Jefferson, Middlesex, Penn and Winfield townships.
