Thomas Baker (Alaska Politician)

Thomas C. Baker (born 1995) is an American politician from Alaska who represents District 40 in the Alaska House of Representatives.

Early life and education

Baker was born in Kotzebue, Alaska in 1995 and is the son of lobbyist Andy Baker. He graduated from Kotzebue High School in 2013, going on to obtain a bachelor's degree in English from Dartmouth College in 2017.

Early career

Baker has served on the Kotzebue city and tribal councils. In 2020, he unsuccessfully ran for the state senate against incumbent Donny Olson. At the time of his appointment to the House, Baker was chair of the regional advisory council for the Federal Subsistence Board and working as a construction manager for the Kikiktagruk Inupiat Corporation.

Legislative career

Baker was appointed on November 8, 2023 by governor Mike Dunleavy to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Josiah Patkotak, who left the House after being elected as mayor of the North Slope Borough. On November 13, Baker was sworn in after being confirmed by House Republicans.

In March 2024, the Legislature passed a resolution introduced by Baker urging the withdrawal of a proposed Bureau of Land Management rule restricting development in large portions of the National Petroleum Reserve—Alaska. This resolution was praised by the members of Alaska's congressional delegation.

On March 18, 2024, after several meetings with the governor over the previous week, Baker voted against overriding Governor Dunleavy's veto of a bipartisan education funding bill, citing the need for other funding in his district and the governor's ability to veto specific funding from the budget regardless. Baker had previously voted in favor of the education bill.

Baker represents district 40, the northernmost legislative district in the country, making him a member of the Bush Caucus. Baker has often voted in opposition to the non-Republican members of the caucus, swinging the outcome of votes on education and causing friction within the group.

Baker has proposed an amendment to the Alaska Constitution that would allow the Legislature to establish a preference giving priority to rural subsistence harvesters during resource shortages. The measure could bring Alaska into compliance with the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, potentially allowing the state to assume sole fish and game management authority across all of Alaska. This proposal drew support from Alaska Department of Fish and Game commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang, but was criticized Alaska Federation of Natives president Julie Kitka. NANA Corporation and Maniilaq Association issued a joint statement saying that they could not support the proposal and that Baker had not adequately consulted his constituents.

In 2024, Baker, facing an election challenge from Democratic candidates Saima Chase and Robyn Burke, changed his party affiliation to Independent.

Electoral history

References

External links

Thomas Baker
at Ballotpedia
Thomas Baker
at Alaska House Majority

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Thomas
1995 births
21st-century American legislators
21st-century Native American politicians
Alaska city council members
American people of Jewish descent
Dartmouth College alumni
Inuit politicians
Inupiat people
Living people
People from Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska
Republican Party members of the Alaska House of Representatives