Joe Baca

Joe Baca
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California
In office
November 16, 1999 – January 3, 2013
Preceded byGeorge Brown Jr.
Succeeded byGloria Negrete McLeod
Constituency42nd district (1999–2003)
43rd district (2003–2013)
Member of the California Senate
from the 32nd district
In office
December 7, 1998 – November 16, 1999
Preceded byRuben Ayala
Succeeded byNell Soto
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 62nd district
In office
December 7, 1992 – November 30, 1998
Preceded byWilliam H. Lancaster
Succeeded byJohn Longville
Personal details
Born
Joseph Natalio Baca

(1947-01-23) January 23, 1947 (age 77)
Belen, New Mexico, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic (before 2015, 2018–present)
Other political
affiliations
Republican (2015–2016)
Independent (2016–2018)
SpouseBarbara Baca
Children4, including Joe
RelativesBaca family
EducationBarstow Community College
California State University, Los Angeles (BA)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1966–1968
Rank Specialist 4
Unit101st Airborne Division[1]

Joseph Natalio Baca Sr. (born January 23, 1947) is an American Democratic politician who served as the U.S. representative for southwestern San Bernardino County (including Fontana, Rialto, Ontario and parts of the city of San Bernardino) from 1999 to 2013.

In June 2015, Baca switched his affiliation to the Republican Party, citing his "core Christian" and pro-business beliefs.[2] In January 2018, Baca switched his affiliation back to the Democratic Party, saying that "in my heart, I've always been a Democrat with a 100 percent voting record for labor."[3]

Prior to his time in the House of Representatives, Baca served in the California Senate from 1998 to 1999, and the California State Assembly from 1992 to 1998.

He currently serves on the Rialto City Council.[4]

  1. ^ "Once a Soldier... Always a Soldier" (PDF). Legislative Agenda. Association of the United States Army. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  2. ^ Nelson, Joe (June 12, 2015). "Former 'Blue Dog' Rep. Joe Baca goes Republican". The San Bernardino Sun. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  3. ^ Horseman, Jeff (February 27, 2018). "Switching parties again, Joe Baca wants back in Congress". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  4. ^ "Joe Baca Sr. Takes seat on Rialto City Council a decade after he left Congress". 14 December 2022.