Bruce Freeman
Bruce Freeman was a member of the Bakersfield City Council in California, representing Ward 5. He assumed office in 2017. He left office on December 18, 2024.
Freeman ran for re-election to the Bakersfield City Council to represent Ward 5 in California. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Although city council elections in Bakersfield are officially nonpartisan, Freeman described himself as a member of the Republican Party at the time of his 2017 candidacy.[1]
Biography
Freeman earned a B.A. from Harvard University in English literature, and an M.B.A. from Stanford University. He was the president at Castle & Cooke, a real estate company. His professional experience includes being an English teacher and a management consultant.[1][2]
Elections
2020
See also: City elections in Bakersfield, California (2020)
General election
General election for Bakersfield City Council Ward 5
Incumbent Bruce Freeman won election in the general election for Bakersfield City Council Ward 5 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Bruce Freeman (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 20,799 |
| Total votes: 20,799 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2017
Bruce Freeman defeated Ryan Nance and Noel Pineo in the special election on June 6, 2017, for the Ward 5 seat on the Bakersfield City Council.
| Bakersfield City Council, Ward 5 Special Election, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Bruce Freeman |
62.03% | 3,204 |
| Ryan Nance | 32.70% | 1,689 |
| Noel Pineo | 5.17% | 267 |
| Total Votes | 5,160 | |
| Source: Kern County, California, "Kern County Election Results, June 6, 2017 Special Election," accessed June 7, 2017 | ||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Bruce Freeman did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2017
Freeman provided the following statement regarding his political philosophy:
| “ | I’m a businessman, not a politician. I’ve stepped forward because I know my experience will help the city of Bakersfield solve problems and generate new sources of revenue by encouraging business development, wise use of taxpayer dollars, and the creation of new jobs for Bakersfield residents while managing a budget and reducing excess waste.[1][3] | ” |
Freeman's campaign website listed the following themes for 2017:
| “ |
I’m Bruce Freeman. I’m running for the Bakersfield City Council, 5th Ward. I’m happily married to my wife Monika and have 4 grown children with a foreign exchange student living with us while attending college. I raised my family in Bakersfield and spent the majority of my career leading Castle and Cooke in its development of homes, shopping centers, and business parks throughout southwest Bakersfield and Ward 5 – Seven Oaks, Brimhall, Silver Creek, and The Marketplace being some of my proudest accomplishments. I’m a businessman, not a politician. Before I attended business school and went into real estate, I was a high school teacher and coached football and basketball. In 1993, I moved to Bakersfield and went to work for Castle & Cooke. Having developed more than five square miles in the southwest as President of the company, I understand how to balance a budget and know the issues that face our city.[4][3] |
” |
| —Bruce Freeman (2017) | ||
To learn more about Freeman's campaign themes, click on the above interview conducted by The Bakersfield Californian editorial board in May 2017.
Endorsements
2017
Freeman received the following endorsements in 2017:[5][6]
- State Senator Jean Fuller
- State Assemblyman Vince Fong
- Former State Assemblywoman Shannon Grove
- Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner
- Former Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall
- The Bakersfield Californian
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Information submitted through Ballotpedia's biographical submission form on May 4, 2017
- ↑ Bakersfield.com, "WARD 5 PROFILE: Businessman Bruce Freeman proposes economic growth," May 11, 2017
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Elect Bruce Freeman, Bakersfield City Council, "Home," accessed May 22, 2017
- ↑ Elect Bruce Freeman, Bakersfield City Council, "Endorsements," accessed June 5, 2017
- ↑ Bakersfield.com, "Our View: Bruce Freeman for Ward 5 councilman," May 15, 2017
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Bakersfield City Council Ward 5 2017-2024 |
Succeeded by Larry Koman |
| |||||||||
