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Jim Baird (politician)

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Jim Baird
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 4th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2019
Preceded byTodd Rokita
Member of the Indiana House of Representatives
from the 44th district
In office
November 16, 2010 – November 20, 2018
Preceded byNancy Michael
Succeeded byBeau Baird
Personal details
Born
James Richard Baird

(1945-06-04) June 4, 1945 (age 79)
Covington, Indiana, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseDanise Baird
Children3, including Beau
Residence(s)Greencastle, Indiana, U.S.
EducationPurdue University (BS, MS)
University of Kentucky (PhD)
WebsiteHouse website
Campaign website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1969–1972[1]
Rank First lieutenant
Unit523rd Transportation Company[2]
Battles/warsVietnam War
AwardsBronze Star
Purple Heart
Academic background
ThesisEffects of lactose, dried whey, enzyme supplementation and presoaking of the diet on early-weaned pig performance and nutrient utilization (1983)

James Richard Baird[3] (born June 4, 1945)[4] is an American businessman and politician who serves as the U.S. representative from Indiana's 4th congressional district. Before being elected to Congress, Baird served from 2010 to 2018 as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives[5] and as a Putnam County commissioner from 2006 to 2010. A Vietnam veteran, Baird was elected to Congress on November 6, 2018.[6]

Early life and education

Baird graduated from Turkey Run High School in 1963, participating in 4-H and Future Farmers of America. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in animal science from Purdue University in 1967 and a Master's of Science in animal science from Purdue in 1969. After the Vietnam War, Baird earned a PhD in animal science monogastric nutrition from the University of Kentucky in 1975.

Military service

Baird served in the ROTC at Purdue University from 1963 to 1965. He attended the Officer Candidate School Class 2–70 at Fort Benning and Jungle Warfare School in Panama from 1969 to 1970, and was commissioned in the Infantry.[7] The United States Army was sending infantry divisions home when Second Lieutenant Baird arrived in Vietnam in 1970. Because of the excess of Infantry officers, he was assigned to the 523rd Transportation Company (Light Truck) at Cha Rang Valley. Baird and the other officers were highly respected by the men because they shared the same risks and burdens.[8]

The truck companies of the 8th Transportation Group delivered cargo along the most heavily ambushed road in Vietnam, QL19, through the Central Highlands in northern II Corps Tactical Zone. The 523rd had five 5-ton gun trucks at the time. The Group Commander considered the 523rd his best truck company and when instructed to send two light truck companies north to I Corps Tactical Zone for the upcoming Laotian Incursion, Operation Lam Son 719, in February through April 1971, he chose to send his best. The 523rd was attached to the 39th Transportation Battalion and stationed at the abandoned Marine Corps base Camp Vandergrift. During the two-and-a-half-month incursion into Laos, the North Vietnamese Army tried to close down the supply route with 23 convoy ambushes. Baird fought in two of the operation's deadliest ambushes and lost his left arm during the convoy ambush on March 12, 1971.[9][10][8] He earned a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.[2] In 2012, the 523rd Transportation Company was inducted into the Transportation Corps Hall of Fame for its heroism during Operation Lam Son 719.[11][12]

Baird was fondly nicknamed "pig farmer" by fellow infantrymen because of his passion for breeding pigs.[13]

Badges, medals, and ribbons

Career

Baird is the owner and operator of Baird Family Farms and Indiana Home Care Plus. He previously worked as an animal nutritionist at Landmark Cooperative, a feed manufacturer, as director of sales and nutrition at Agmax, and as a livestock specialist for Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service.

Baird ran for Putnam County commissioner in 2006 and defeated the incumbent, Dennis O'Hair, in the primary.[14] He represented Marion Township, Greencastle Township, Madison Township, and Clinton Township.[15] He served as commissioner for the second district until his election to the State House in 2010. He was succeeded by Nancy Fogle.[16] The American Conservative Union gave him a lifetime legislative evaluation of 82% in 2017.

Indiana House of Representatives

Baird represented House District 44, including Putnam County and portions of Clay, Morgan, Owen, and Parke counties, from 2010 until 2018. He served as a member of the Ways and Means Committee—chairing the Health and Medicaid Subcommittee—the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, Veteran Affairs and Public Safety, the Environmental Affairs Committee, and the Statutory Committee on Ethics.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2018

See also: 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana § District 4

Baird ran for Indiana's 4th congressional district in 2018.[17] The seat was vacated by Todd Rokita in his unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate. Baird won the May 8 Republican primary[18][10] and the November 6 general election.

2020

See also: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana § District 4

Baird was reelected in 2020 with 66.6% of the vote.[19]

2022

See also: 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana § District 4

Baird was reelected in 2022 with 68.2% of the vote.

Tenure

Baird was the second-oldest member of the 116th Congress freshman class, after Democrat Donna Shalala, who was born in 1941.

In December 2020, Baird was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden defeated[20] incumbent Donald Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state.[21][22][23]

Baird is one of three deployed Vietnam War veterans currently serving in the House, the others being Jack Bergman and Mike Thompson.

Committee assignments

Caucus membership

Electoral history

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Baird 29,316 36.6
Republican Steve Braun 23,594 29.4
Republican Diego Morales 11,994 15.0
Republican Jared Thomas 8,453 10.5
Republican Kevin Grant 3,667 4.6
Republican James Nease 2,096 2.6
Republican Tim Radice 1,022 1.3
Total votes 80,142 100.0
Indiana's 4th congressional district, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Baird 156,539 64.1
Democratic Tobi Beck 87,824 35.9
Total votes 244,363 100.0
Republican hold
Indiana's 4th congressional district, 2020
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Baird 225,531 66.6
Democratic Joe Mackey 112,984 33.4
Total votes 338,515 100.0
Republican hold

Personal life

Baird's son, Beau, was elected chair of the Putnam County Republican Party in March 2017. Beau ran to replace him in the Indiana House of Representatives. Beau won the election on November 6, 2018.[25][26]

Baird resides in Greencastle.[27] Baird has attended Gobin United Methodist Church in Greencastle since 1975.[28]

References

  1. ^ "US Congress Rep. James R. Baird (R) | TrackBill". trackbill.com. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Meet Jim – Jim Baird for Congress". Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  3. ^ "Indiana Report of Receipts and Expenditures of a Political Committee: Committee to Elect Jim Baird" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 24, 2018. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  4. ^ Perks, Ashley (November 15, 2018). "Indiana New Members 2019". TheHill. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  5. ^ "List of All Offices and Office Holders". March 5, 2015. Archived from the original on March 20, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  6. ^ "Complete House election results – CNN". www.cnn.com. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  7. ^ "Meet Jim – Jim Baird for Congress". Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Lam Son 719; The Cargo Must Get Through" (PDF).
  9. ^ Landers, Elizabeth (January 3, 2019). "Combat veteran lawmaker tweets '5 eyes. 5 arms. 4 legs. All American' photo from House floor". Cnn.com. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  10. ^ a b Pathé, Simone (May 9, 2018). "Jim Baird Likely to Be Next Congressman From Indiana's 4th District". Retrieved January 6, 2019 – via www.rollcall.com.
  11. ^ Perry, Amy. "Transportation Corps Inducts 6 Members, 1 Unit into HOF". Fort Lee Traveller. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  12. ^ "39th Transportation Battalion | U.S. Army Transportation Corps and Transportation School | Fort Lee, Virginia".
  13. ^ "One of Indiana's new congressmen is a Vietnam veteran, a farmer … and a scientist".
  14. ^ "Local News: Baird upsets O'Hair for commissioner (5/3/06) | Greencastle Banner Graphic". June 21, 2018. Archived from the original on June 21, 2018. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  15. ^ "Putnam County Indiana Government Web Pages". July 4, 2006. Archived from the original on July 4, 2006. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  16. ^ "Local News: Civic duty drives Fogle (12/11/10) | Greencastle Banner Graphic". May 9, 2018. Archived from the original on May 9, 2018. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  17. ^ "Local News: Baird announces bid for District 4 seat in U.S. Congress (10/19/17)". Greencastle Banner Graphic. October 19, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  18. ^ "Indiana Primary Election Results". The New York Times. May 8, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2019 – via NYTimes.com.
  19. ^ "Republican Jim Baird wins reelection to U.S. House in Indiana's 4th Congressional District". AP NEWS. November 4, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  20. ^ Blood, Michael R.; Riccardi, Nicholas (December 5, 2020). "Biden officially secures enough electors to become president". AP News. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  21. ^ Liptak, Adam (December 11, 2020). "Supreme Court Rejects Texas Suit Seeking to Subvert Election". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  22. ^ "Order in Pending Case" (PDF). Supreme Court of the United States. December 11, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  23. ^ Diaz, Daniella. "Brief from 126 Republicans supporting Texas lawsuit in Supreme Court". CNN. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  24. ^ "Membership". Republican Study Committee. December 6, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  25. ^ "Beau Baird sworn in as new state representative for House District 44". November 20, 2018.
  26. ^ "Bairds prevail in two district races". November 7, 2018.
  27. ^ "Republican Jim Baird announces run for District 4 seat in U.S. Congress". October 19, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  28. ^ "IN-04 Jim Baird". The Well News. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
Political offices
Preceded by
Dennis O'Hair
 Member of the Putnam County Commission
from the 2nd district
2006–2010 		Succeeded by
Nancy Fogle
Indiana House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Indiana House of Representatives
from the 44th district
2010–2018 		Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 4th congressional district
2019–present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
237th 		Succeeded by
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