Terry Baker

Terry Lee Baker (born November 24, 1955) is an American politician. He is a member of the Maryland House of Delegates for District 1C in Allegany and Washington counties. He was previously the vice president of the Washington County Board of Commissioners from 2006 to 2010 and from 2018 to 2022, and the board's president from 2010 to 2018.

Career Baker was born on November 24, 1955. He grew up in Pinesburg, Maryland,

Baker entered politics in 2002, when he became a member of the Clear Spring town council. In 2004, he became the town's assistant mayor. Since 2006, he has worked in various county government offices, including in the Board of Health, Economic Development Commission, and Social Services Board.

On July 14, 2021, Baker filed to run for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 1C, seeking to succeed Delegate Mike McKay, who had previously announced that he would run for the Maryland Senate in 2022. He won the Republican primary on July 19, 2022, and later defeated Democratic challenger Carrie R. Hinton and Green Party challenger Charlotte McBraerty in the general election on November 8.

2016 House of Representatives campaign

On July 12, 2015, Baker announced that he would run for the United States House of Representatives in Maryland's 6th congressional district, challenging incumbent John Delaney. Baker finished second to Amie Hoeber, a former United States Secretary of the Army deputy under President Ronald Reagan, in the Republican primary election, receiving 23.1 percent of the vote.

In the legislature

Baker was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 11, 2023. He is a member of the House Environment and Transportation Committee.

Political positions Education Baker opposed the Common Core State Standards, saying that they "should be a decision made by parents and teachers, if they want it in their schools or not."

Foreign policy In September 2015, Baker said he opposed the Iran nuclear deal.

Immigration During the 2026 legislative session, Baker voted against a bill to prohibit counties from entering into 287(g) program agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Social issues Baker self-identifies as pro-life. During the 2023 legislative session, he opposed a bill creating a 2024 referendum to codify Roe v. Wade into the Constitution of Maryland.

Taxes In June 2019, Baker voted against increasing Washington County's income tax rate from 2.8 percent to 3.2 percent so the county could receive a larger disparity grant, expressing concerns that the grants were not guaranteed in the long run. In April 2021, Baker voted in favor of lowering the tax rate back to 2.8 percent.

Personal life Baker is married and has two children and three grandchildren. placing seventh at the 1982 Boston Marathon.

On July 25, 2018, Baker's wife, Katrina, filed for a temporary protective order against him, accusing him of "slapping, shoving, stalking and verbally abusing her over two separate incidents at the couple's homes" in July. She was granted a temporary protective order, but she withdrew her petition on July 26 after she and her husband negotiated a separation agreement.

Electoral history