Republican · Indiana's 4th District · 2026
Jim Baird
Baird grew up in rural Indiana, studied animal science at Purdue and returned from Vietnam to earn a doctorate in nutrition.
Biography
Jim Baird and his high school sweetheart, Danise, raised three children, all graduates of Purdue University.1 Danise died in March 2026 after 59 years of marriage.2 Before entering Congress, Baird ran a home healthcare agency and worked with his family on their farm.1
He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in animal science at Purdue, followed by a doctorate in animal nutrition at the University of Kentucky after returning from Vietnam.1 He lost his left arm while serving in Vietnam.3 He also served on the advisory council for Purdue University's dean of agriculture.1 His Vietnam service was recognized with a Bronze Star with a valor device and two Purple Hearts.1 He and his unit were also inducted into the U.S. Transportation Corps Hall of Fame.1
Baird's public service included work as a county commissioner and eight years in Indiana's legislature before entering Congress in 2019.1.4 The Republican represents the 4th District on Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, and Science, Space and Technology.5 He is vice chairman of Agriculture's Conservation, Research and Biotechnology Subcommittee.5
His 2026 priorities include protecting family farms, reducing government spending, strengthening border security and protecting gun rights.4 He also supports expanding rural healthcare access and services for veterans.4 He backed the 2025 effort to redraw Indiana's congressional boundaries between census cycles.4
Record and controversies
Campaign reporting settlement
In March 2025, the FEC approved a settlement requiring Baird's campaign to pay a $7,475 civil penalty after omitting $160,500 in disbursements from its original 2024 report before the primary.6 The committee attributed the omission to a software import error and an internal miscommunication over a $500 check; it said it had changed staffing and reconciliation procedures.6 The settlement also required a written reporting policy, and the FEC closed the case on March 5, 2025.6.7