Earl Mancill Baker (January 22, 1940 – April 25, 2024) was an American politician from Pennsylvania who served as a Republican member of the

Pennsylvania State Senate The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered ev ...

for the 19th district from 1989 to 1995. Baker also served twelve years as a member of the Chester County Board of Commissioners, and as Chairman of the

Republican State Committee of Pennsylvania The Pennsylvania Republican Party (PAGOP) is the affiliate of the Republican Party in the state of Pennsylvania. It is headquartered in Harrisburg. History Founding The party was founded on November 27, 1854, in Towanda ( Bradford County) b ...

from 1986 to 1990.

Early life and education

Baker was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and graduated from Ben Lippen High School. He received an A.B. in political science from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and a M.A. and Ph.D. in government from

American University The American University (AU or American) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Its main campus spans 90 acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, mostly in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Northwest D.C. AU was charte ...

in Washington, D.C.. Baker served as an officer in the U.S. Navy. He worked for The

American Political Science Association The American Political Science Association (APSA) is a professional association of political science students and scholars in the United States. Founded in 1903 in the Tilton Memorial Library (now Tilton Hall) of Tulane University in New Orleans, ...

in Washington and taught at

Temple University Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist minister Russell Conwell and his congregation Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia then called Ba ...

before entering public service.

Career

Baker did not seek re-election to the Board of Commissioners in 1988, opting instead to run for the State Senate seat being vacated by retiring incumbent John Stauffer.The Philadelphia Inquirer
/ref> In the primary election, he defeated State Rep. Peter Vroon.

Death

Baker died on April 25, 2024, at the age of 84.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Earl M. 1940 births 2024 deaths 20th-century American legislators American University alumni Chairs of the Republican State Committee of Pennsylvania Republican Party Pennsylvania state senators United States Navy officers University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni Chester County Commissioners (Pennsylvania) 20th-century Pennsylvania politicians Politicians from Philadelphia