James R. Baird
RepublicanU.S. Representative, IN-4| Age | 81 (b. 1945-06-04) |
| Gender | Male |
| In office since | 2019-01-03 (~7 yrs) |
| Religion | Christian (United Methodist) |
| Education | B.S. in Animal Science, Purdue University (1967); M.S. in Animal Science, Purdue University (1969); Ph.D. in Animal Science/Monogastric Nutrition, University of Kentucky (1975) |
| Prior occupation | Farmer, animal scientist, and small business owner; former Purdue University Cooperative Extension agent; owner of Baird Family Farms and related agricultural/home-care businesses |
| Military service | Yes: United States Army (Second Lieutenant) |
| Birthplace | Fountain County, Indiana |
| Marital status | Widower (wife Danise died March 1, 2026; previously married) — Danise Baird (deceased March 1, 2026) |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Greencastle, Indiana (Putnam County) |
| Notable relatives | Son Beau Baird (Jason Beau Baird), Republican member of the Indiana House of Representatives (succeeded Jim Baird in District 44 in 2018) |
Pending research: race / ethnicity · languages · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 2018 |
| Previous offices | Putnam County (Indiana) Commissioner, 2006-2010 · Indiana House of Representatives, District 44, 2010-2018 |
| Committees | House Committee on Agriculture (Chair, Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology) · House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology · House Committee on Foreign Affairs |
| Caucuses | Republican Study Committee · Conservative Climate Caucus · Agriculture Research Caucus (co-chair) · Research and Development Caucus (co-chair) · Congressional Biofuels Caucus |
| Leadership | Chair, House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology |
| Ideology | Conservative Republican; Heritage Action scorecard 79% (117th Congress session score), 80% lifetime score |
Financial
Net worth: estimate
No holdings recorded yet (from official Financial Disclosure filings).
Scandals & crimes ledger
resolved — FEC fine for failing to disclose nine campaign transactions (2019) business
Jim Baird's campaign committee (a business/political entity, not Baird personally) was assessed an administrative penalty of $6,538 in 2019 for failing to disclose nine transactions totaling about $61,000 in the run-up to the 2018 primary during Baird's first congressional bid.
resolved — FEC Administrative Fine for Failure to File 48-Hour Contribution Notices (2018 Primary)
Baird's campaign committee, Elect Jim Baird for Congress, failed to file required 48-hour notices for nine contributions totaling $61,000 ahead of the 2018 primary election — his first campaign for U.S. representative. The FEC assessed an administrative fine of $6,538 on March 11, 2019, which was upheld on June 28, 2019, and paid in full by May 9, 2019.
dismissed — House security screening fine, dismissed on appeal (2021)
Under House rules adopted in 2021, Baird was fined $5,000 after a Capitol Police memo alleged he walked around a magnetometer at a House chamber security checkpoint on November 17, 2021. Baird appealed, stating he had always complied with screenings and that the officer was likely unaware of his Vietnam War service-related arm injury and prosthetic. The House Committee on Ethics sustained his appeal on December 8, 2021, and the fine was rescinded.
resolved — FEC fine for failing to disclose campaign loan repayment (2025) business
The FEC fined Jim Baird's campaign committee (a business/political entity, not Baird personally) $7,475 on March 5, 2025, for failing to disclose a $160,500 repayment of a personal loan Baird had made to the committee on the pre-primary report ahead of the May 2024 primary. The campaign said it self-reported the omission, which it attributed to a clerical software error. The FEC voted 4-0 and closed the matter after ordering corrective procedures.
resolved — FEC ADR Settlement for Failure to Disclose $160,000 Loan Repayment (2024 Primary)
Baird's campaign committee failed to disclose a $160,000 repayment of a personal loan he had made to the committee, as well as a $500 payment to the Builders Association of Greater Lafayette, on the pre-primary report filed before the May 7, 2024 primary election. The omissions caused the campaign's reported cash on hand to appear approximately $163,000 higher than actual. The FEC referred the matter to its ADR Office; the Commission approved a negotiated $7,475 civil penalty by unanimous 4-0 vote on March 5, 2025. The campaign attributed the error to a software-related clerical mistake and stated it self-reported the violation.