J. Matt Baker

Where Baker stands

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Article I gives Congress the power of the purse, the power to declare war, and the duty to oversee the executive. Those are the job. That means passing a real budget on time instead of governing by continuing resolution, voting on the use of force before troops are committed for years, and holding real oversight hearings no matter which party holds the White House. The other half is constituent service: helping veterans, military families, and every resident navigate a federal government that too often doesn't answer the phone. Most representatives won't say it out loud, but there's a third responsibility – getting donations for the party. I won't have this one and will spend the extra time on the first two.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Necessary, and in a divided country, it's the only way anything durable gets done. Compromise on means, not on principle. I'll negotiate on how we get to a balanced budget or a stronger Navy, but not on the rule of law or on telling voters the truth. Laws passed on a party-line vote get repealed the next time power changes hands. Laws built across the aisle last.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My father was a 1942 Graduate of West Point, a retired Army Colonel, JAG and Magistrate Judge in the Canal Zone. He taught me by his example of unfailing integrity.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity first, then accountability. In the Marine Corps you answer for results, not intentions: set clear objectives, measure them, and own the outcome. An elected official should do the same. Tell voters the truth even when it costs votes, state the tradeoffs out loud, show the work behind every vote, and answer to every constituent, not just the ones who voted for you. Independence matters too. A representative who owes a party or a donor has given away part of the vote before it's cast.