Baron Hill

Baron Hill
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 9th district
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Mike Sodrel
Succeeded by	Todd Young
In office January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2005
Preceded by	Lee H. Hamilton
Succeeded by	Mike Sodrel
Personal details
Born	(1953-06-23) June 23, 1953 Seymour, Indiana, United States
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Betty Schepman Hill
Residence	Seymour, Indiana
Alma mater	Furman University
Occupation	financial analyst
Religion	Methodist

Baron Paul Hill (born June 23, 1953) is the former U.S. Representative for Indiana's 9th congressional district, serving from 1999 to 2005 and from 2007 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

The district is located in the southeastern part of the state and stretches from Bloomington to the Indiana side of the Louisville metropolitan area.

Early life, education and career

Hill was a three-sport athlete at Seymour High School, where he was all-state in football and basketball. He was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.^[1]

Hill accepted an athletic scholarship to Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina; where he earned a bachelor's degree in history in 1975. After graduation, he moved back to Seymour and joined his family's insurance and real estate business.

Hill was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from 1982 to 1990. He served as chairman of the Caucus Campaign Committee, where he helped elect a Democratic majority in the House.

In 1990, Hill ran against Senator Dan Coats to fill the last two years of Dan Quayle's term; Quayle had been elected Vice President. He lost, 54% to 46%. Hill made a name for himself during that campaign by walking the length of the state, from the Ohio River to Lake Michigan, to meet with voters.

U.S. House of Representatives

Hill is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition. He was named communication co-chair in December, 2003 and policy co-chair in December, 2008.

In 2001, Hill voted for a version of the "No Child Left Behind Act", which passed the House 384-45.^[2] In 2006, he said he was in favor of scrapping the version that passed,^[3] calling it a "more or less of a federal takeover of our system".^[4]

Hill has a minor part in Michael Moore's film Capitalism: A Love Story. In the film he talks about his choice to vote against the Wall Street bank bailout in late 2008.^[5]

Hill authored the Hill-Terry Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Bill in 2007.^[6]

On March 21, 2010, Hill voted in favor of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and made his case for supporting it in a press release.^[7]

Committee assignments

• Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Environment
• Committee on Science and Technology
  • Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics
• Joint Economic Committee

Political campaigns

1998

Hill was elected to the House in November 1998. He defeated Republican Jean Leising, 51% to 48% and Libertarian Diane Merriam, 1%, winning the seat vacated by retiring 34-year incumbent Lee H. Hamilton.

2000

Hill was reelected in 2000, with 54 percent of the vote.

2002

Mike Sodrel, Hill‘s Republican opponent four times

In 2002, Hill defeated Republican Mike Sodrel with 51 percent of the vote. Sodrel, a New Albany trucking company owner, had 46 percent.

2004

In November 2004, in a rematch, Hill lost to Sodrel by a margin of about 1,500 votes. There was a recount, but the scope was limited because of the use of DRE voting machines in Indiana.

2006

Hill won the Democratic nomination in the 9th District in 2006. He was included in the "First Wave" of the Democratic Party's "Red-to-Blue" program.^[8]

Texas millionaire Bob J. Perry gave more than $5 million to the Economic Freedom Fund, a 527 group, which included Hill as one of its targets for removal. The group paid for automated "push poll" calls attacking Hill. Such calls were stopped after action by the Indiana Attorney General.^[9] Cook Political Report rated the race as a toss-up.^[10]

Baron Hill won the 2006 election with a preliminary 50% of the vote; Sodrel with 46% and Libertarian Eric Schansberg with roughly 4 percent. As is the custom for returning members of Congress, the Democrats gave Hill back his seniority. He was named to the Energy and Commerce and Science and Technology committees.

2008

In 2008 Hill and Sodrel again fought for the 9th District. Last year, the race moved between Likely D to Lean D on the Cook Political Report.^[11] Fund raising in 2008 had become more one-sided than in 2006, with Hill far ahead in the numbers game, according to reported income.^[12] Baron Hill voted against the $700 billion bailout bill and the week late $1 trillion bailout bill.

Hill defeated Sodrel in the election, 58% to 39%.^[13]

2010

Hill ran for reelection, challenged by Republican nominee Bloomington attorney Todd Young. During the campaign, the National Republican Congressional Committee ran ads asking "Is Baron Hill running for Congress in Indiana, or China?”^[14] He was defeated on November 2, 2010.

Post-congressional career

Following his defeat in 2010, Hill was hired by APCO Worldwide.The firm's clients include COSCO, PhRMA, Solar Trust and Dow Corning.^[14]

Electoral history

Personal life

Hill is married to Betty Schepman, a math teacher in the public schools. They have three adult daughters.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baron Hill.

• Baron Hill for Congress official campaign site
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission