Catharine Baker
Republican
| Date | Party | Office | Votes | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11-04-2014 | Republican | AD-16 | 71452 | Win |
| 11-08-2016 | Republican | AD-16 | 129585 | Win |
| 11-06-2018 | Republican | AD-16 | 106683 | Loss |
Candidate Biography:
Born: May 2, 1971 in Cathedral City, CA
Married: Dan
Children: Kate and Alex (twins)
1995-1997: Senior Legislative Aide, Congressman Sonny Bono
2000-2001: Clerk, U.S. District Judge Alicemarie Stotler
2010s: Vice President, Dougherty Elementary School Site Council
2020-Present: Member, Fair Political Practices Commission
2024-Present: Director, University of California Student and Policy Center (in Sacramento)
- LEGISLATION: Author of AB 434 (2018), which requires the director and chief information officer (CIO) of each state agency or entity to post on their front home page a signed certification that the website is in compliance with specified accessibility standards.
- CLOSE CONTEST: Two days after the 2018 General Election, Baker led Bauer-Kahan by 2,986 votes, which dropped to 986 votes one day later. Over the next few days, Baker's lead continued to drop at a fairly consistent rate to 764 votes (11/10), 627 votes (11/11), 526 votes (11/12), 339 votes (11/13), 205 votes (11/14), 159 votes (11/15). On November 16th, Bauer-Kahan gained the lead for the first time, with a 2,170-vote margin.
- TRIBUTE: Shortly after Baker conceded the 2018 election, Nanette Endean tweeted the following; "My dear friend. My mentor. The best boss I've ever had. The Legislature, and #AD16, lost one of our greatest public servants. Being part of #TeamBaker is a badge of honor I will wear for the rest of my life."
- TRIBUTE: John Myers, Sacramento bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times, noted "Assembywoman Baker was almost alone in trying to navigate the middle of Sacramento politics. The party’s base has long believed that compromise with Dems is heresy. While their ranks were decimated, too, they may argue Baker’s defeat shows there’s no safe harbor in moderation..."
- TRIBUTE: Assemblyman Marc Levine tweeted "[Baker] is a class act. A vote for gun control & climate change legislation. We will suffer for hunting reasonable Republicans to extinction. There is little incentive for Rs to do anything but hide in their trenches. Governance suffers. A model of bipartisanship gone."