Carey Baker (born March 16, 1963) is an American politician and

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

veteran who served as the property appraiser of

Lake County, Florida Lake County is a county in the central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 383,956. Its county seat is Tavares, and its largest city is Clermont. Lake County is included in the Orlando–Kissimme ...

, from 2013 to 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served in the

Florida Senate The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida House of Representatives being the lower house. Article III, Section 1 of the C ...

from 2004 to 2010 and in the

Florida House of Representatives The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida Senate being the upper house. Article III, Section 1 of the C ...

from 2000 to 2004. Baker is also the owner of the A.W. Peterson Gun Shop. He was the first state or federal elected official to serve in

Operation Iraqi Freedom The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...

while also holding elected office.

Early life and education

Baker was born and raised in Eustis. He is the son of former state representative Leighton Baker. Baker's family has owned the A.W. Peterson Gun Shop since 1952. When Baker was 18 years old, he joined the family business. Baker graduated from

Tavares High School Tavares High School is a high school located in Tavares, Florida, United States, and is one of seven public high schools operated by Lake County Schools in Lake County, Florida. The school was built in 1926 and originally housed grades 9 and 10. ...

and attended Lake–Sumter Community College.

Military service

Baker joined the

Florida Army National Guard The Florida Army National Guard is Florida's component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. In the United States, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the federal army's available combat forces ...

while still in high school. In 2003, while a member of the

, Baker was deployed to

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

. Baker's colleagues in the House tied a yellow ribbon around his chair on the House floor, which remained in place until he returned. In 2004, the Florida Legislature unanimously passed House Bill 1757, the Carey Baker Freedom Flag Act, which required every public school classroom in Florida to have an American flag on display. In 2007, Baker was part of a thirteen-member team of

smen sent to train soldiers from former

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

satellite countries.

Awards and decorations

Political career

In 2004, Baker won a special election for the 20th District State Senate Seat after incumbent Anna Cowin announced she would run for Lake County Superintendent of Schools. He was re-elected to full terms in 2006 and 2008. The 20th Senate district includes parts of

Marion Marion or MARION may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Marion (band), a British alternative rock group * ''Marion'' (miniseries), a 1974 miniseries * ''Marion'' (1920 film), an Italian silent film * ''Marion'' (2024 film), a UK short People a ...

Sumter Sumter may refer to: People Given name * Sumter S. Arnim (1904–1990), American dentist * Sumter de Leon Lowry Jr. (1893–1985), United States Army general Surname * Rowendy Sumter (born 1988), Curaçaoan footballer * Shavonda E. Sumt ...

Lake A lake is often a naturally occurring, relatively large and fixed body of water on or near the Earth's surface. It is localized in a basin or interconnected basins surrounded by dry land. Lakes lie completely on land and are separate from ...

, Volusia, and

Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, ...

counties. While serving in the Florida Senate, he was chairman of the Senate Government Operations Committee and on the Senate Transportation Committee, Senate Agriculture Committee, and Senate General Government Appropriation Committee. Senator Carey Baker with Legislative Aide Mike Norris and Miami Heat Center Alonzo Mourning

Senator Carey Baker with Legislative Aide Mike Norris and Miami Heat Center Alonzo Mourning

In 2012, Baker defeated Ed Havill for the position of property appraiser of

, and ran unopposed in 2016. In 2014, Baker was elected president of the Florida Association of Property Appraisers.

Legislative activities

In 2003, Baker introduced HB 805, which expanded Florida's private school voucher program to the families of military personnel. As Baker was deployed to Iraq, Frank Attkisson presented the bill on Baker's behalf. The bill passed 74–42. In 2004, Baker passed legislation designating an eight-mile stretch of State Road 50, from Mascotte to Stuckey, the "Eric Ulysses Ramirez Highway". Ramirez was a 1991 graduate of Mount Dora High School, serving in the National Guard. He was killed on February 12, 2004, in Iraq. He was 31 years old. In 2006, Baker passed the Justin McWilliams Act into law. The legislation made it so the State Uniform Traffic Rules were applicable on private property. In 2007, Baker filed a bill to established a sales tax holiday, from June 1 through 12, 2007, exempting taxes on hurricane preparedness items. Baker first introduced legislation to ban texting while driving in 2007. The legislation died in committee. In 2010, while serving as chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, Baker filed SB 324 and SB 326, which would have banned anyone younger than 18 years of age from writing or sending a text message on an electronic communications device while operating a motor vehicle, but it died in committee. In 2009, Baker was named "Senator of the Year" by the Florida

Fraternal Order of Police The National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) is a fraternal organization consisting of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. It reports a membership of over 355,000 members organized in 2,100 local chapters (lodges), state lodge ...

. In 2010, Baker introduced SJR 72, the Health Care Freedom Act. The act placed an initiative on the ballot that would have banned any laws requiring people buy health insurance. The bill passed the Senate and House and was placed on the ballot as Amendment 9.

Electoral history

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Carey Living people 1963 births People from Eustis, Florida United States Army non-commissioned officers Military personnel from Florida Republican Party members of the Florida House of Representatives Republican Party Florida state senators 21st-century members of the Florida Legislature 20th-century members of the Florida Legislature