Jim Baird (politician)

James Richard Baird (born June 4, 1945) is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Indiana's 4th congressional district since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, Baird served from 2010 to 2018 as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives and as a Putnam County commissioner from 2006 to 2010.

Early life and education
Baird was born in 1945 to William (1916-1989) and Martha Ewbank Baird (1924-1998). William was born in Scotland. 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. 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.

The truck companies of the 8th Transportation Group delivered cargo along the most heavily ambushed road in Vietnam, QL19, through the Central Highlands in the northern II Corps Tactical Zone. The 523rd had five 5-ton gun trucks at the time. The Group Commander selected the 523rd as one of the two light truck companies to be deployed north to I Corps Tactical Zone for the upcoming Laotian Incursion, Operation Lam Son 719, in February through April 1971. 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. He earned a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts. In 2012, the 523rd Transportation Company was inducted into the Transportation Corps Hall of Fame for its heroism during Operation Lam Son 719.

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

Badges, medals, and ribbons

 * Combat Infantry Badge
 * Bronze Star with valor "V" device
 * Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster
 * Vietnam Service Medal
 * Army Commendation Medal with valor "V" device
 * National Defense Service Medal
 * Meritorious Unit Commendation
 * Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device
 * Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for valorous combat achievement
 * Vietnam Civil Actions Medal
 * Expert Rifleman
 * Jungle Expert Badge

Career
From 1974 to 1983, Baird served as a Purdue University extension agent for Putnam County. Baird is the owner of Baird Family Farms, Triple Tree Enterprises, Inc. (a gas station operator in Crawfordsville), and Indiana Home Care Plus of Greencastle, a home health agency. He previously worked as an animal nutritionist at Landmark Cooperative, a feed manufacturer, and as director of sales and nutrition at Agmax.

Baird ran for Putnam County commissioner in 2006 and defeated the incumbent, Dennis O'Hair, in the primary. He represented Marion Township, Greencastle Township, Madison Township, and Clinton Township. He served as commissioner for the second district until his election to the State House in 2010. He was succeeded by Nancy Fogle. 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.

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

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

2022
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 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.

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

Baird voted to provide Israel with support following 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

Baird was ranked the Republican Member of Congress with highest turnover of 2023—second most over all in the House—per LegiStorm's Worst Bosses Index, at three times the House average.

Committee assignments
For the 118th Congress:
 * Committee on Agriculture'''
 * Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology (Chair)
 * Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
 * Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture
 * Committee on Foreign Affairs
 * Subcommittee on Africa
 * Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia
 * Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
 * Subcommittee on Energy
 * Subcommittee on Research and Technology

Caucus membership

 * Aerospace Caucus
 * Agriculture Research Caucus, co-chair
 * Biofuels Caucus
 * Border Security Caucus
 * Congressional Western Caucus
 * Conservative Climate Caucus
 * Election Integrity Caucus
 * For Country Caucus
 * Future Farmers of America Caucus
 * Recreational Vehicle Caucus
 * Republican Study Committee
 * Research & Development Caucus, co-chair
 * Rural Broadband Caucus
 * Wine Caucus

Personal life
Baird is married to Danise née Swain, a registered nurse who graduated from Purdue University in 1968. Baird has three children: daughter Vanessa Lee Norsworthy, born 1968, and sons Stacey Gilbert, born 1972, and Jason Beau, born 1981. 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.

Baird resides outside of Greencastle in Clinton Township. Baird has attended Gobin United Methodist Church in Greencastle since 1975.