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David Baria

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David Baria
Minority Leader of the Mississippi House of Representatives
In office
February 3, 2016 – January 7, 2020
Preceded byBobby Moak
Succeeded byRobert Johnson III
Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
from the 122nd district
In office
January 3, 2012 – January 7, 2020
Preceded byJ. P. Compretta
Succeeded byBrent Anderson
Member of the Mississippi Senate
from the 46th district
In office
January 8, 2008 – January 3, 2012
Preceded byScottie Cuevas
Succeeded byPhilip Moran
Personal details
Born
David Wayne Baria

(1962-12-04) December 4, 1962 (age 61)
Pascagoula, Mississippi, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMarcie Fyke
Children3
EducationUniversity of Southern Mississippi (BS)
University of Mississippi (JD)

David Wayne Baria (born December 4, 1962) is an American politician and attorney. A trial lawyer by profession, Baria served as a Democratic member of the Mississippi House of Representatives representing the 122nd district until the end of the 2019 legislative session. He previously held office in the Mississippi Senate for the 46th district and was the House Minority Leader during his tenure in the state legislature.

Born in Pascagoula, Mississippi, Baria earned degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Mississippi School of Law. His political career was inspired by Hurricane Katrina, leading him to first run for the Mississippi Senate in 2007. Baria later served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 2012 to 2020, where he championed causes such as insurance reform, environmental protection, and medicaid expansion. In 2018, he was the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate election in Mississippi, finishing second with 39.1% of the vote.

Early life and education

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Baria was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi in 1962.[1] He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1987 and a Juris Doctor at the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1990.[2] While at the University of MIssissippi, he attended a summer program at Cambridge University.[3][2]

After graduating, Baria worked as a trial attorney.[4][5]

Career

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Mississippi Senate

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Baria attributes Hurricane Katrina for his call to public service.[6] In 2007, Baria ran for the Mississippi Senate to represent the 46th district. He defeated James Overstreet 77% to 23% and went on to represent the district from 2008 to 2011.[7]

The American Lung Association and the American Federation of Teachers awarded Baria with legislative awards for his work in the Senate.[6]

Mississippi House of Representatives

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Baria ran for the 122nd district of the Mississippi House of Representatives in 2011, defeating his Republican challenger Dorothy Wilcox 58% to 41%. His district represented Bay St. Louis, Waveland, Pearlington, part of Kiln, and most of rural Hancock County. During his campaign, the Advance Mississippi PAC sent out misleading campaign material about his voting record. Baria filed a defamation suit against the PAC for falsely accusing him of voting to raise his pay, raise food taxes, and taking money from clients. Baria stated he would dismiss the case if the PAC apologized. The PAC's executive director and treasurer published an ad in two coastal newspapers apologizing for "false and defamatory ads" during the 2011 campaign.[8]

He ran for reelection in 2015, narrowly defeating Republican MIckey Lagasse 51% to 49%.[7] The election was highly competitive, with Governor Phil Bryant and Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves campaigning and donating for Lagasse.[9] In 2019, he announced he would not seek reelection, leaving office in January 2020.[10][7]

Baria was selected as a Democratic Floor Leaders for the Mississippi House Democratic Caucus in 2012, and in 2016 his colleagues selected him to serve a four-year term as House Minority Leader.[11][3] He was a founding member of the Mississippi Democratic Trust in 2016.[3]

2018 U.S. Senate race

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Main article: 2018 United States Senate election in Mississippi

On February 28, 2018, Baria declared his candidacy for the Senate seat held by Republican Roger Wicker.[12] On June 26, he defeated venture capitalist Howard Sherman in a runoff to claim the Democratic nomination despite being considerably outspent.[13] James Carville was an unofficial, unpaid campaign consultant and has held fundraisers in New Orleans for Baria.[14] Baria finished second of four candidates, getting 39.1% of the vote.[7]

Post-political life

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Upon leaving the Mississippi House, he joined Cosmich Simmons & Brown as a partner in their Bay St. Louis office after 28 years of experience as a trial lawyer.[4] His practice consists of insurance, business, construction, and personal injury litigation.[15] He serves as a board member of the Centrist Democrats of America.[15]

Political positions

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Insurance reform

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Baria introduced several bills to cap the premiums that insurance companies can charge for homeowners and flood insurance.[16] He introduced legislation to create a "Policy Holder's Bill of Rights," which would prohibit "anti-concurrent causation clauses," which allow insurance companies to avoid paying for any damage to homes where wind acts concurrently with flooding to cause damage to the insured property.[17]

BP oil spill settlement

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Main article: Deepwater Horizon oil spill § Legal aspects and settlements

In 2015, Baria introduced a bill to require that 80% of the funds from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill be sent back to the Gulf Coast.[9] The bill was defeated by the Republican controlled legislature, which opted to keep the money in the state's general fund.[18] Baria renewed these efforts in 2017 with the support of several Republican legislators from the Gulf Coast, but they were unsuccessful.[19]

Senator David Baria in 2009 in the Mississippi State Capitol

Other policy positions

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In 2010, Baria proposed bills in the senate offering tax incentives for homeowners who install solar power,[20] as well as allowing net metering.[21]

After joining the Mississippi House in 2012, Baria successfully sponsored a bill to require safety enclosures for swimming pools.[7] That same year, he introduced several other bills, including bills to increase the death benefit payable to law enforcement officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty; authorize individuals to brew beer at home; create a "Patient's Bill of Rights; prohibit smoking in certain public places and private places of employment; and create a state version of the False Claims Act to allow whistleblowers who report fraud against the government to collect part of the award.[7] All of these bills died in committee.[7]

After controversy in 2012 over then-Governor Haley Barbour's pardon of two convicted murderers who worked at the Mississippi Governor's Mansion,[22] Baria introduced legislation prohibiting governors from issuing pardons during the last 90 days of their term.[7] The bill died in committee.

In 2015, Baria filed a bill to legalize industrial hemp production,[23] and in 2017 Baria filed bills to raise the minimum wage and require equal pay for men and women performing the same work.[24]

Baria penned an op-ed after the 2017 murder of a protester during the Unite the Right rally, calling for the state to remove the Confederate imagery from the Mississippi state flag.[25]

In 2018, Baria voted for a bill to exempt recent college graduates from state income taxes if they stay in the state for three years after graduation from a four-year college or university and to grant them an additional two-year exemption if they buy a house or establish a business with at least one additional employee.[26]

Baria has been a vocal critic of the corporate tax cuts passed by the Republican controlled legislature,[27] stating that they deprive the state of revenue that could be used to pay for other state programs.[28] He has also been a vocal supporter of expanding Medicaid to cover more than 300,000 Mississippians who lack health insurance.[29] Baria also supports state-funded universal preschool and two tuition-free years of community college.[30]

Personal life

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David Baria is married to Marcie Baria and has three children. He is Episcopalian. He is a member of the Rotary Club and Kiwanis Club.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b "David Baria". Mississippi State Legislature. Archived from the original on December 24, 2023. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Baria, David W." Cosmich Simmons & Brown. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c House Concurrent Resolution 100. Mississippi House of Representatives.
  4. ^ a b "David W. Baria Joins Cosmich Simmons & Brown". Cosmich Simmons & Brown. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  5. ^ "Meet U.S. Senate candidates on Tuesday's ballots". The Natchez Democrat. June 3, 2018. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "David Baria". Baria-Jones, PLLC. Archived from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "David Baria". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  8. ^ "PAC takes out ad to apologize to legislator". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. April 14, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Hampton, Paul (November 1, 2015). "Republicans would like to pick off last South Mississippi Democrats in Legislature". The Sun Herald. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  10. ^ Belcher, Geoff (March 4, 2019). "Qualifying ends for 2019 county, state elections -- Baria bows out; Carver to challenge Adam for sheriff". The Sea Coast Echo. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  11. ^ Harrison, Bobby (February 3, 2016). "Rep. David Baria selected as House leader". The Sun Herald. Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  12. ^ Dovere, Edward-Isaac (February 28, 2018). "Democrat David Baria Enters Senate race in Mississippi". Politico. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
  13. ^ Wolfe, Anna (June 26, 2018). "David Baria beats Howard Sherman in U.S. Senate Democratic runoff". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  14. ^ Harrison, Bobby (September 12, 2018). "James Carville providing help for Baria Senate campaign". Mississippi Today. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  15. ^ a b "About". Centrist Democrats of America. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  16. ^ Simon, Scott (August 28, 2010). "Five Years After Katrina, A Return To Bay St. Louis". NPR.org. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  17. ^ Lynch, Adam (January 4, 2010). "Sen. David Baria". Jackson Free Press. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  18. ^ Clark, Jefff (January 14, 2017). "Will the Coast see BP money in 2017? Don't hold your breath". The Sun Herald. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  19. ^ Ganucheau, Adam (March 1, 2017). "House, Senate clash after death of BP bill". Mississippi Today. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  20. ^ Lynch, Adam (January 20, 2010). "Where's the Money". Jackson Free Press. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  21. ^ Lynch, Adam (January 7, 2010). "Net-Metering Advocates Push for Support". Jackson Free Press. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  22. ^ Phillips, Rich (March 15, 2012). "Docs show murderers got special treatment from governor, wife". CNN. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  23. ^ Nave, R. L. (April 8, 2015). "Legal Pot Initiative Gets a Spark". Jackson Free Press. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  24. ^ Hampton, Paul (January 5, 2017). "This could be the year of equal pay, minimum wage". The Sun Herald. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  25. ^ Baria, David (August 15, 2017). "Time to remove Confederate battle flag from all official symbols of Mississippi". Mississippi Business Journal. Archived from the original on August 28, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  26. ^ Gates, Jimmie E. (February 14, 2018). "House bill would exempt recent graduates from state income taxes if they stay in state". The Clarion Ledger. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  27. ^ Pettus, Emily Wagster (March 14, 2017). "Dems Say Slow Economy and Tax Cuts Damage Mississippi Budget". USNews. Associated Press. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  28. ^ Pullen, Malary (January 19, 2017). "Why the lack in revenue for the state of Mississippi?". WJTV. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  29. ^ David Baria (March 17, 2013), Rep. David Baria (D-Bay St. Louis) talks with WLOX about Medicaid Expansion, archived from the original on December 21, 2021, retrieved March 1, 2018
  30. ^ "Mississippi House minority leader says relations improved". The Oxford Eagle. Associated Press. January 24, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
[edit]
Mississippi House of Representatives
Preceded by Minority Leader of the Mississippi House of Representatives
2016–2020 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Mississippi
(Class 1)
2018 		Succeeded by
Ty Pinkins
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