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Is Rep. Baird using taxpayer funds to prep his son for a congressional seat? An opponent thinks so
Is Rep. Baird using taxpayer funds to prep his son for a congressional seat? An opponent thinks so

Indianapolis Star

time2 days ago

  • Politics
  • Indianapolis Star

Is Rep. Baird using taxpayer funds to prep his son for a congressional seat? An opponent thinks so

A July mailer sent by Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Baird's congressional office to Hoosiers in Warren County includes an image of not one, but two elected Bairds. In the photo, Congressman Baird and his son, Greencastle Republican state Rep. Beau Baird, stand alongside a boy and a cow. Bold text on the mailer reads 'Congressman Baird champions the One Big Beautiful Bill to support Hoosier farmers.' For years, Beau Baird has been rumored as a future candidate for the 4th Congressional District, which contains the counties immediately to the west of Marion County, should his father choose not to run for another term in Congress. Recently, the elder Baird has used pictures of his son in taxpayer-funded mailers and has started omitting his first name in some materials when identifying himself in prominent spots, referring to himself instead as simply "Congressman Baird." Congressman Baird hasn't yet said if he's running for reelection, and legally he isn't doing anything wrong, experts say. But if his son runs instead, he'll get the perk of already-built-in name recognition from years of the last name being on the ballot and on official office material. At least one 2026 Republican candidate for the 4th Congressional District, stretching from Morgan County north to Jasper and Newton counties, said it's wrong for Jim Baird to include photos of his son in his congressional communication materials. 'The perception is, and I believe it to be true, that there's a little bit of nepotism going on,' said state Rep. Craig Haggard, R-Mooresville. "And he's trying to use taxpayer money to enhance his son's chance of winning his seat.' It's not unusual for members of Indiana's U.S. House delegation to share photos of their family members in taxpayer-funded communication materials from their congressional office. U.S. Rep. Jefferson Shreve in March, for example, shared a photo in an email newsletter to constituents of him and his wife, Mary, as he took the oath of office with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson by his side. But Congressman Jim Baird's use of franking, a congressional privilege that lets elected officials use taxpayer-funded member allowances to communicate with constituents, has included at least seven photos of Beau Baird in mailers since 2023. Of Indiana's U.S. House delegation, Baird spent more on franking by mail in 2024 than all other members but U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz at nearly $174,000. Those materials were approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers known as the House Communications Standards Commission. Additionally, ethics experts that spoke with IndyStar said Jim Baird's materials with his son pictured are likely not a violation of any franking rules. A spokesperson for Baird's office in a statement to IndyStar reiterated that all mass communications are reviewed by the congressman's office and the bipartisan House commission. 'Photos in official mass communications are selected from events the Congressman attends across the district,' the spokesperson said. 'While other individuals may appear, only the Congressman is identified in these materials. Every mass communication is reviewed and approved to ensure compliance with Franking guidelines before distribution.' But name recognition does give candidates for elected office a boost. Hoosier elected officials that have used the family last name have seen successes in past elections. Current Democratic U.S. Rep. André Carson, who is in his ninth term in Congress, took over his grandmother Julia Carson's congressional seat after she died in 2007. Evan Bayh, the former Indiana governor, was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1998, a seat his father Birch Bayh held from 1963 to 1981. "That name recognition is worth a lot," said Mike Wolf, the chair of the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics at Purdue University Fort Wayne. "It's not a surprise that they would also slip in somebody who would doesn't have the federal franking privilege, but gets the benefit of it." House franking guidelines allow members to share photos of their family members in materials if the image is still related to the official business of the office and if they don't explicitly introduce or endorse their relative. None of the materials sent by Jim Baird's office that included photos of Beau Baird identify him by name, nor do they label Baird as the congressman's son or as a state representative. "Do I think that there's probably a line that maybe is being towed a little bit here, yes," said Danielle Caputo, senior legal counsel with the Campaign Legal Center who viewed some of the mailers with Baird and his son. "But he's not being referenced. I saw some of the photos. They're very small. It's not like he's front and center. It's not very clear that he is anyone." Redistricting push: How much more red can Indiana's U.S. House delegation get? Donald Sherman, the executive vice president and chief counsel for Citizens for Responsible Ethics in Washington, D.C., said he personally had not seen a member of Congress include family members in franked materials, but elected officials across party lines often want to keep a seat in their family. 'I wouldn't be shocked if it had happened before,' Sherman said. 'But it doesn't fall within any technical restrictions in the rules.' Two years ago, Haggard announced a plan to run for Congress if Jim Baird stepped away from another term representing the 4th Congressional District. But Haggard said he's done waiting: he filed his paperwork Aug. 8 to run for the seat in 2026. 'I believe I'll be running against a Baird,' Haggard said of next year's 4th District Republican primary. 'Which Baird? I don't know.' Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@ or follow her on X@kayla_dwyer17.

Swartz focused on economy, accessibility in second bid against Huizenga for US House
Swartz focused on economy, accessibility in second bid against Huizenga for US House

Yahoo

time17-04-2025

  • Politics
  • Yahoo

Swartz focused on economy, accessibility in second bid against Huizenga for US House

WEST MICHIGAN — Democratic congressional candidate Jessica Swartz is ready for a rematch in 2026. After losing to Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Holland, by 11.7 percentage points in 2024, Swartz recently announced she'll again challenge Huizenga for the Michigan 4th Congressional District seat in 2026. 'We spent the last two years building up the tools and the foundation we needed,' Swartz told the Sentinel. 'This time we're jumping off from that foundation and we're gonna go even farther.' Huizenga, a Republican, has been representing the area in Congress since 2011. He served Michigan's 2nd District from 2011-2023 before the state's redistricting and has served the 4th District since 2023. More: Amid protests, frustration, Swartz launches second run against U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga Swartz, an attorney from Kalamazoo, is looking to flip the seat for the Democratic Party. She sees 2026 as a different race than in 2024, when she lost to Huizenga by just under 50,000 votes. 'There's such so much energy on the ground right now, so many people who want to get involved and make a difference," Swartz said. "(The 2026 election cycle) I think is looking at a big change, as midterms always are for the party not in power, but this this feels even more different than any of the other ones. We're excited to to tap in to all that energy, try to focus it and try to get our government back.' Huizenga has recently come under fire with a number of protests at his Holland office, with constituents upset with his refusal to do an in-person townhall, among other issues. Swartz attended and spoke at a recent townhall event hosted by Ottawa County Democrats. 'Right now he's just absent. It's hard to get people to vote for you when you won't even talk to them,' Swartz said of Huizenga. 'I do believe that very soon we're gonna see that economic pushback of this chaos and people are gonna realize that that was due to these actions of the people in power. Huizenga has backed President Trump's agenda every step of the way, and he's gonna have to speak to that.' Swartz said the economy will be a focus of her 2026 campaign. 'I think that's a lesson that we learned from the last time around. Voters are just focused on how much it costs to live,' she said. 'When Huizenga ran for election, he promised that inflation would go down, prices would go down and the exact opposite has happened on both of those.' Swartz noted protecting Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and the environment will also be key points for the campaign. She's also concerned about how tariffs will affect local farmers. 'It's making it harder for our farmers to grow what they need to grow, and then it's gonna be even harder for them once they do grow it, to sell it," she said. Support Local News: Receive unlimited digital access to your local news coverage Swartz said she'll look to be a voice for all of West Michigan as she pursues election. "I'm going to continue continue working as hard as I possibly can to give a voice to the people in West Michigan,' Swartz said. 'I'm going to be out there and I'm gonna speak for everybody and I will listen to any reasonable position and, I don't care where it comes from, for the sole purpose of trying to make life better for people in the district and that is my goal. It always has but it always will be." — Cassidey Kavathas is the politics and court reporter at The Holland Sentinel. Contact her at ckavathas@ Follow her on Twitter @cassideykava. This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Swartz focused on economy during rematch with Huizenga for US House

Mia Love, first Black Republican Congresswoman in the US, dies at 49
Mia Love, first Black Republican Congresswoman in the US, dies at 49

Express Tribune

time24-03-2025

  • Politics
  • Express Tribune

Mia Love, first Black Republican Congresswoman in the US, dies at 49

Listen to article Mia Love, the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress as a Republican, has passed away at the age of 49 after a courageous battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Her family confirmed the news on social media Sunday night, sharing that Love passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her loved ones. Love represented Utah's 4th Congressional District from 2015 to 2019 and was widely recognised as a trailblazer and visionary leader. She was praised for her courage and grace, particularly during her battle with cancer. Her passing has drawn tributes from across the political spectrum, with Utah Governor Spencer Cox describing her as 'a true trailblazer' and acknowledging the profound influence she had on the state. In May, Love appeared on CNN's The Lead with Jake Tapper, where she spoke about her 2022 diagnosis and the challenging prognosis of just 10-15 months to live. Despite the grim forecast, Love expressed optimism and continued to receive treatment through a clinical trial at Duke University's Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center. She also credited her Mormon faith for helping her through the ordeal. After leaving Congress, Love became a political commentator for CNN and was a regular guest on ABC's The View. Throughout her career, Love was known for her commitment to public service and her inspiring belief in the American dream. Her family's statement on social media read, 'In the midst of a celebration of her life and an avalanche of happy memories, Mia quietly slipped the bands of mortality and, as her words and vision always did, soared heavenward.' Love's legacy will be remembered for her pioneering role in politics and her determination to overcome adversity.

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