Baron Hill

Baron Hill
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 9th district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 6, 1999–January 3, 2005 January 4,2007
Preceded by	Lee Hamilton (1965–1999) Mike Sodrel (2005–2007)
Succeeded by	Mike Sodrel (2005–2007) Incumbent
Born	June 23 1953 (1953--) (age 54) Seymour, Indiana
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Betty Schepman Hill
Religion	United Methodist

Baron Paul Hill (born June 23, 1953) is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives for Indiana's 9th congressional district. He previously represented the district from 1999 until 2005. Baron Hill belongs to the Blue Dog Democrats.

Early life, education and career

Hill was a three-sport star 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.

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

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 played a prominent role in building a Democratic majority in the House.

In 1990, Hill ran against Senator Dan Coats to fill the last three years of Dan Quayle's term; Quayle had been elected Vice President. He lost, 54-46 percent. 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 was elected to the House in November 1998. He defeated Republican Jean Leising, 51%-48%, winning the seat vacated by retiring 30-year incumbent Lee Hamilton.

In 2001, Hill voted for a version of the "No Child Left Behind Act", which passed the House 384-45. [1]. In 2006, he said he was in favor of scrapping the version that passed, calling it a "more or less of a federal takeover of our system". [2]

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

In December 2003, Hill was named communication co-chair of the Blue Dog Coalition, also known as Blue Dog Democrats.

2004 election

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 election

Hill easily 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. [3]

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 [4].

Cook Political Report rated the race as a toss-up. [5]

Baron Hill won the 2006 election with a preliminary 50% of the vote; Sodrel with 46% percent 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.

External links

• U.S. Congressman Baron Hill official House site
• Baron Hill at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

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