{{Short description|American politician (born 1962)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2014}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = David Baria | image = David Baria (cropped).jpg | office = Minority Leader of the Mississippi House of Representatives | term_start = February 3, 2016 | term_end = January 7, 2020 | predecessor = Bobby Moak | successor = Robert Johnson III | state_house1 = Mississippi | district1 = 122nd | term_start1 = January 3, 2012 | term_end1 = January 7, 2020 | predecessor1 = J. P. Compretta | successor1 = Brent Anderson | state_senate2 = Mississippi | district2 = 46th | term_start2 = January 8, 2008 | term_end2 = January 3, 2012 | predecessor2 = Scottie Cuevas | successor2 = Philip Moran | birth_name = David Wayne Baria | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|12|4}} | birth_place = Pascagoula, Mississippi, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | spouse = Marcie Fyke | children = 3 | education = University of Southern Mississippi (BS)<br>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 39.5% of the vote.<ref name=Results>{{Cite news|url=https://sos.ms.gov/elections/electionresults/2018General/Certified%20Results/United%20States%20Senate.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250703212356/https://sos.ms.gov/elections/electionresults/2018General/Certified%20Results/United%20States%20Senate.pdf |archive-date=July 3, 2025 |url-status=live|title=United States Senate|last=Hosemann|first=Delbert|author-link=Delbert Hosemann|date=December 3, 2018|work=Secretary of State of Mississippi|access-date=August 28, 2025}}</ref>
==Early life and education==
Baria was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi in 1962.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=David Baria |url=https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/members/house/baria.xml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231224070051/https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/members/house/baria.xml |archive-date=December 24, 2023 |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Mississippi State Legislature}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Baria, David W. |url=https://www.cs-law.com/attorney/baria-david-w/ |access-date=August 13, 2024 |website=Cosmich Simmons & Brown}}</ref> While at the University of MIssissippi, he attended a summer program at Cambridge University.<ref name=":3">[https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2019/html/HC/HC0100PS.htm House Concurrent Resolution 100]. Mississippi House of Representatives. </ref><ref name=":1" />
After graduating, Baria worked as a trial attorney.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=David W. Baria Joins Cosmich Simmons & Brown |url=https://www.cs-law.com/news/david-w-baria-joins-cosmich-simmons-brown/ |access-date=August 13, 2024 |website=Cosmich Simmons & Brown}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 3, 2018 |title=Meet U.S. Senate candidates on Tuesday’s ballots |url=https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2018/06/03/meet-u-s-senate-candidates-on-tuesdays-ballots/ |access-date=August 13, 2024 |work=The Natchez Democrat}}</ref>
== Career ==
=== Mississippi Senate === Baria attributes Hurricane Katrina for his call to public service.<ref name=":2" /> 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.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=David Baria |url=https://ballotpedia.org/David_Baria |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}</ref>
The American Lung Association and the American Federation of Teachers awarded Baria with legislative awards for his work in the Senate.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=David Baria |url=http://www.barialaw.com/mississippi-law-firm-about-us/bay-st-louis-attorney-david-baria/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214010354/http://www.barialaw.com/mississippi-law-firm-about-us/bay-st-louis-attorney-david-baria/ |archive-date=December 14, 2021 |access-date=2018-07-11 |website=Baria-Jones, PLLC |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Mississippi House of Representatives === 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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-04-14 |title=PAC takes out ad to apologize to legislator |url=https://www.djournal.com/pac-takes-out-ad-to-apologize-to-legislator/article_46127db9-10e4-523c-af2c-09550c2fb08b.html |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal |language=en}}</ref>
He ran for reelection in 2015, narrowly defeating Republican MIckey Lagasse 51% to 49%.<ref name=":4" /> The election was highly competitive, with Governor Phil Bryant and Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves campaigning and donating for Lagasse.<ref name="sunherald">{{Cite news |last=Hampton |first=Paul |date=November 1, 2015 |title=Republicans would like to pick off last South Mississippi Democrats in Legislature |url=http://www.sunherald.com/news/politics-government/election/article42111204.html |access-date=2018-03-01 |work=The Sun Herald |language=en}}</ref> In 2019, he announced he would not seek reelection, leaving office in January 2020.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Belcher |first=Geoff |date=March 4, 2019 |title=Qualifying ends for 2019 county, state elections -- Baria bows out; Carver to challenge Adam for sheriff |url=https://www.seacoastecho.com/news/qualifying-ends-for-2019-county-state-elections----baria-bows-out-carver-to/article_3799df84-3ca3-11e9-b3de-efdd929500bd.html |access-date=August 13, 2024 |work=The Sea Coast Echo}}</ref><ref name=":4" />
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.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Harrison |first=Bobby |date=February 3, 2016 |title=Rep. David Baria selected as House leader |url=http://www.sunherald.com/news/politics-government/article58184578.html |access-date=2018-03-01 |work=The Sun Herald |language=en |agency=Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> He was a founding member of the Mississippi Democratic Trust in 2016.<ref name=":3" />
=== 2018 U.S. Senate race === {{main|2018 United States Senate election in Mississippi}}
On February 28, 2018, Baria declared his candidacy for the Senate seat held by Republican Roger Wicker.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dovere |first=Edward-Isaac |date=2018-02-28 |title=Democrat David Baria Enters Senate race in Mississippi |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/28/mississippi-senate-democrat-baria-430825 |access-date=2018-03-06 |work=Politico |language=en-US}}</ref> On June 26, he defeated venture capitalist Howard Sherman in a runoff to claim the Democratic nomination despite being considerably outspent.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wolfe |first=Anna |date=June 26, 2018 |title=David Baria beats Howard Sherman in U.S. Senate Democratic runoff |url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2018/06/26/lawmaker-baria-beats-celebrity-backed-sherman-senate-primary-runoff/731979002/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=The Clarion-Ledger |language=en-US}}</ref> James Carville was an unofficial, unpaid campaign consultant and has held fundraisers in New Orleans for Baria.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harrison |first=Bobby |date=2018-09-12 |title=James Carville providing help for Baria Senate campaign |url=http://mississippitoday.org/2018/09/12/james-carville-providing-unpaid-help-for-baria-senate-campaign/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Mississippi Today |language=en-US}}</ref> Baria finished second of four candidates, getting 39.5% of the vote.<ref name=Results/>
=== Post-political life === 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.<ref name=":5" /> His practice consists of insurance, business, construction, and personal injury litigation.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.centristdems.com/about-us |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Centrist Democrats of America |language=en-US}}</ref> He serves as a board member of the Centrist Democrats of America.<ref name=":6" />
== Political positions ==
=== Insurance reform === Baria introduced several bills to cap the premiums that insurance companies can charge for homeowners and flood insurance.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Simon |first=Scott |date=August 28, 2010 |title=Five Years After Katrina, A Return To Bay St. Louis |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129484662 |access-date=2018-03-01 |work=NPR.org |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lynch |first=Adam |date=January 4, 2010 |title=Sen. David Baria |url=http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2010/jan/04/sen-david-baria/ |access-date=2018-03-01 |work=Jackson Free Press |language=en}}</ref>
=== BP oil spill settlement === {{Main|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.<ref name="sunherald" /> The bill was defeated by the Republican controlled legislature, which opted to keep the money in the state's general fund.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=Jefff |date=January 14, 2017 |title=Will the Coast see BP money in 2017? Don't hold your breath |url=http://www.sunherald.com/news/local/counties/hancock-county/article126626584.html |access-date=2018-03-01 |work=The Sun Herald |language=en}}</ref> Baria renewed these efforts in 2017 with the support of several Republican legislators from the Gulf Coast, but they were unsuccessful.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ganucheau |first=Adam |date=2017-03-01 |title=House, Senate clash after death of BP bill |url=http://mississippitoday.org/2017/02/28/house-senate-clash-after-death-of-bp-bill/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Mississippi Today |language=en-US}}</ref> [[File:Sen. David Baria during NASA Space Day.png|thumb|Senator David Baria in 2009 in the Mississippi State Capitol]]
=== Other policy positions === In 2010, Baria proposed bills in the senate offering tax incentives for homeowners who install solar power,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lynch |first=Adam |date=January 20, 2010 |title=Where's the Money |url=http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2010/jan/20/wheres-the-money/ |access-date=2018-03-01 |work=Jackson Free Press |language=en}}</ref> as well as allowing net metering.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lynch |first=Adam |date=January 7, 2010 |title=Net-Metering Advocates Push for Support |url=http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2010/jan/07/net-metering-advocates-push-for-support/ |access-date=2018-03-01 |work=Jackson Free Press |language=en}}</ref>
After joining the Mississippi House in 2012, Baria successfully sponsored a bill to require safety enclosures for swimming pools.<ref name=":4" /> 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.<ref name=":4" /> All of these bills died in committee.<ref name=":4" />
After controversy in 2012 over then-Governor Haley Barbour's pardon of two convicted murderers who worked at the Mississippi Governor's Mansion,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Phillips |first=Rich |date=March 15, 2012 |title=Docs show murderers got special treatment from governor, wife |url=https://www.cnn.com/2012/03/14/us/mississippi-pardons-special-treatment/index.html |access-date=2018-03-01 |work=CNN}}</ref> Baria introduced legislation prohibiting governors from issuing pardons during the last 90 days of their term.<ref name=":4" /> The bill died in committee.
In 2015, Baria filed a bill to legalize industrial hemp production,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nave |first=R. L. |date=April 8, 2015 |title=Legal Pot Initiative Gets a Spark |url=http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2015/apr/08/legal-pot-initiative-gets-spark/ |access-date=2018-03-01 |work=Jackson Free Press |language=en}}</ref> and in 2017 Baria filed bills to raise the minimum wage and require equal pay for men and women performing the same work.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hampton |first=Paul |date=January 5, 2017 |title=This could be the year of equal pay, minimum wage |url=http://www.sunherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article124593309.html |access-date=2018-03-01 |work=The Sun Herald |language=en}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Baria |first=David |date=2017-08-15 |title=Time to remove Confederate battle flag from all official symbols of Mississippi |url=http://msbusiness.com/2017/08/david-baria-time-remove-confederate-battle-flag-official-symbols-mississippi/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190828000221/http://msbusiness.com/2017/08/david-baria-time-remove-confederate-battle-flag-official-symbols-mississippi/ |archive-date=August 28, 2019 |access-date=2018-03-01 |work=Mississippi Business Journal |language=en-US}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gates |first=Jimmie E. |date=February 14, 2018 |title=House bill would exempt recent graduates from state income taxes if they stay in state |url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/14/house-bill-would-exempt-recent-graduates-state-income-taxes-if-they-stay-state/337097002/ |access-date=2018-03-01 |work=The Clarion Ledger |language=en}}</ref>
Baria has been a vocal critic of the corporate tax cuts passed by the Republican controlled legislature,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pettus |first=Emily Wagster |date=March 14, 2017 |title=Dems Say Slow Economy and Tax Cuts Damage Mississippi Budget |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/mississippi/articles/2017-03-14/dems-say-slow-economy-and-tax-cuts-damage-mississippi-budget |access-date=August 13, 2024 |work=USNews |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> stating that they deprive the state of revenue that could be used to pay for other state programs.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pullen |first=Malary |date=2017-01-19 |title=Why the lack in revenue for the state of Mississippi? |url=http://www.wjtv.com/news/why-the-lack-in-revenue-for-the-state-of-mississippi/872199430 |access-date=2018-03-01 |work=WJTV |language=en-US}}</ref> He has also been a vocal supporter of expanding Medicaid to cover more than 300,000 Mississippians who lack health insurance.<ref>{{Citation |last=David Baria |title=Rep. David Baria (D-Bay St. Louis) talks with WLOX about Medicaid Expansion |date=2013-03-17 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J55sxhVlmrA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/J55sxhVlmrA |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|access-date=2018-03-01}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Baria also supports state-funded universal preschool and two tuition-free years of community college.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-01-24 |title=Mississippi House minority leader says relations improved |url=https://www.oxfordeagle.com/2017/01/24/mississippi-house-minority-leader-says-relations-improved/ |access-date=2018-03-01 |work=The Oxford Eagle |language=en-US |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
==Personal life==
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.<ref name=":0" />
== References == {{reflist|2}}
==External links== *[http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=69821 Project Vote Smart - Senator David W. Baria (MS)] old profile *''Follow the Money'' - David Baria **[http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=94498 2007] campaign contributions
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-ms-hs}} {{s-bef|before=Bobby Moak}} {{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the Mississippi House of Representatives|years=2016–2020}} {{s-aft|after=Robert Johnson III}} |- {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Albert N. Gore}} {{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Mississippi<br>(Class 1)|years=2018}} {{s-aft|after=Ty Pinkins}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baria, David}} Category:1962 births Category:Candidates in the 2018 United States Senate elections Category:Living people Category:Democratic Party members of the Mississippi House of Representatives Category:21st-century members of the Mississippi Legislature Category:Democratic Party Mississippi state senators Category:People from Pascagoula, Mississippi Category:University of Mississippi School of Law alumni Category:University of Southern Mississippi alumni