Rushern Baker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rushern Baker
7th Executive of Prince George's County
In office December 6, 2010 – December 3, 2018
Preceded by	Jack B. Johnson
Succeeded by	Angela Alsobrooks
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 22B district
In office August 11, 1994 – January 8, 2003
Appointed by	William Donald Schaefer
Preceded by	Paul G. Pinsky
Succeeded by	Tawanna P. Gaines Anne Healey Justin Ross
Personal details
Born	Rushern Leslie Baker III (1958-10-24) October 24, 1958 (age 66) Valdosta, Georgia, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Christa Beverly ​ (died 2021)​
Children	3, including Rushern IV
Education	Howard University (BA, JD)
Signature
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1987–2001
Rank	Captain
Unit	J.A.G. Corps

Rushern Leslie Baker III (born October 24, 1958) is an American lawyer and politician. He served as the 7th county executive for Prince George's County, Maryland, from 2010 to 2018. Before that, he was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1994 to 2003. He represented District 22B in northern Prince George's County. Baker is a member of the Democratic Party. He ran for governor of Maryland in 2018 and 2022.

Early Life and Education

Rushern Baker was born in Valdosta, Georgia, on October 24, 1958. His father, Rushern Jr., was an officer in the United States Army Special Forces. His mother, Carolyn, worked as a nurse's aide. Baker moved often when he was a child, even living in Okinawa, Japan. His family eventually settled in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Baker shared that he had some learning difficulties in school. He attended many different schools before graduating from Classical High School. There, he played football as a running back and defensive back. After high school, Baker went to Howard University. He earned his first degree in history in 1982 and his law degree in 1986. He was also part of the student government. Later, Baker joined the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, which is the legal branch of the Army. He served from 1987 to 2001 and became a captain.

Career in Public Service

After finishing law school, Baker worked for U.S. Senator John Kerry for a year. He then worked for the District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development. From 1989 to 1999, he was a legal counsel for the Peoples Involvement Corporation. After that, Baker ran his own law firm, Baker & Perry LLP, until 2002.

Baker was chosen as a delegate for the Democratic National Convention several times. This is a big meeting where the Democratic Party chooses its candidate for president. He attended in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2024.

Serving in the Maryland House of Delegates

Governor William Donald Schaefer appointed Baker to the Maryland House of Delegates. He took his oath on August 11, 1994. In the House of Delegates, Baker was part of the Judiciary Committee from 1995 to 1998. Then, he served on the Appropriations Committee from 1999 to 2003. He was also a member of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland. From 1999 to 2003, he led the group of delegates from Prince George's County.

During his time as a delegate, Baker voted against some bills. He opposed giving state money for National Football League stadiums. He also opposed a bill that would have made English the official state language. Baker supported bills that would prevent unfair treatment based on who someone loves. He also supported requiring public documents to be translated into Spanish.

Leading Prince George's County

Elections for County Executive

Running in 2002

In 2000, Baker announced he would run for Prince George's County Executive. He wanted to take over from Wayne Curry, who could not run again. Baker focused on women voters and got support from The Washington Post. However, he lost the Democratic primary election on September 10, 2002, to Jack B. Johnson.

Running in 2006

In 2005, Baker started looking into running for County Executive again in 2006. He officially announced his candidacy in January 2006. He ran his campaign by pointing out issues with crime and education in the county. He lost the Democratic primary election in September 2006 to the current county executive, Jack B. Johnson, by a small margin.

Winning in 2010

Baker ran for Prince George's County Executive for the third time in 2010. He won the Democratic primary election in September 2010. He defeated Prince George's County Sheriff Michael A. Jackson and state delegate Gerron Levi. Baker then ran unopposed in the main election and won.

Re-election in 2014

Baker decided to run for re-election as county executive in February 2014. He ran without any opponents in both the primary and general elections, winning easily.

Time as County Executive

Baker at the construction of MGM National Harbor, 2015

Rushern Baker became the Prince George's County Executive on December 6, 2010.

During his time in office, Baker worked to bring new businesses to the county. He also made it easier for businesses to get permits. These changes helped Prince George's County's economy grow. The county saw more jobs and had extra money in its budget. New projects started in different parts of the county. These included the MGM National Harbor casino, a new hospital, and the Purple Line train system. Baker also worked to improve the county's rules about ethics. He also tried to make changes to the school system. He wanted to change how the school board worked.

Baker faced some challenges regarding education in Prince George's County. In 2013, a law was passed that allowed him to choose the superintendent and some members of the school board. The school system faced issues with federal funding for early childhood programs. There were also concerns about student grades being changed. Baker defended the superintendent, saying that the school system had grown and added special programs. These programs included language classes, full-day pre-kindergarten, and college courses for high school students.

In 2012, Baker supported a public vote to make same-sex marriage in Maryland legal.

Running for Governor

2018 Campaign

On June 21, 2017, Baker announced he would run for governor of Maryland in 2018. He wanted to challenge the current Republican Governor Larry Hogan. In February 2018, Baker chose Elizabeth Embry as his running mate.

During his campaign, Baker talked about his successes in the county's economy and crime reduction. He supported raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. He also wanted to give more money to state community colleges. Many important politicians supported him, including U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer.

2018 Democratic gubernatorial primary election results by county:

Map legend

     Jealous—40–50%
     Jealous—30–40%
     Baker—30–40%
     Baker—40–50%

Baker lost the Democratic primary election on June 26, 2018, to Ben Jealous. He came in second place. After his loss, Baker helped campaign for Jealous in the main election.

2022 Campaign

On April 8, 2021, Baker announced he would run for governor of Maryland again in 2022. He wanted to take over from Governor Larry Hogan, who could not run again. His running mate was Nancy Navarro. Baker shared a plan to address crime and policing. He also spoke about the importance of protecting women's health rights.

At first, Baker was seen as one of the top candidates. However, his support and fundraising fell behind. By June 2022, he had less money for his campaign and was behind in polls. Many politicians who supported him in 2018 had chosen other candidates. He stopped his campaign on June 10, 2022.

After Being County Executive

Since leaving office, Baker has run his own consulting company, Baker Strategy Group. In July 2019, he was appointed to the University of Maryland Medical System board. He worked with the University of Maryland, College Park to create a leadership program for elected officials. He left the board in 2021.

In December 2024, after county executive Angela Alsobrooks resigned, Baker showed interest in running for the special election for Prince George's County Executive. He officially entered the race on December 10, 2024. He lost the Democratic primary to state's attorney Aisha Braveboy. Baker later joined Braveboy's team to help her transition into the county executive role.

Personal Life

Baker met his wife, Christa Beverly, at Howard University in 1978. Baker is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. The Bakers lived in Washington, D.C., for a short time before moving to Cheverly, Maryland. They raised three children there, including their son Rushern Baker IV.

In 2010, Baker's wife, Christa, was diagnosed with Early-onset Alzheimer's disease. The family decided to talk about her illness publicly in 2012. They wanted to help people learn more about the disease and encourage more money for research. Baker is very involved with the Alzheimer's Association. In 2016, he got a tattoo of her initials and the Alzheimer's Association logo on his arm. Christa passed away from Alzheimer's disease on September 18, 2021.

In March 2024, Baker received the Thomas Kennedy Award from the Maryland House of Delegates.

Electoral History