| Charlie Baum | |
| Birth Date: | 13 December 1972 |
| Education: | Wake Forest University (BA) University of North Carolina (PhD) |
| Occupation: | Politician Professor |
| State House: | Tennessee |
| District: | 37th |
| Term Start: | November 6, 2018 |
| Predecessor: | Dawn White |
| Party: | Republican |
| Spouse: | Kelly Baum |
| Children: | Elizabeth, Anna Jane, Charles |
Charlie Baum (born December13, 1972[1] [2]) is an American politician and a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, representing District37 (Murfreesboro) since November6, 2018. Baum is also a professor of economics at Middle Tennessee State University.
In 2023, Baum was the only Republican to vote against three resolutions to expel three Democratic lawmakers from the legislature for violating decorum rules. The two successful expulsions were widely characterized as unprecedented.[3] Baum told the Tennessean he wanted to keep working with the three lawmakers to "become more effective legislators" and said that "the vast majority of ['my constituents'] didn't want these representatives expelled".[4]
Baum attended Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina where he earned his B.A. in economics in 1995. Baum then attended the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where he received his Ph.D. in economics in 1999.[5]
Baum currently teaches economics at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. He has taught at MTSU since August 1999.
Baum was raised in Knoxville, Tennessee. He is married to his wife Kelly and they have 3 children: Elizabeth, Anna Jane, and Charles. Baum and his family are active members of the First United Methodist Church in Murfreesboro.[6]
The District 37 Republican Primary Election took place on August 2, 2018.[7]
The District 37 General Election took place on November 6, 2018.
| Candidate | Percentage of Votes | Total Votes Received | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Baum (R) | 59.3% | 13,455 Votes | |
| Deanna Debow Osborne (D) | 40.7% | 9,218 Votes |
| Role | Committee | |
|---|---|---|
| Member | Finance, Ways, & Means Committee | |
| Member | Finance, Ways, & Means Appropriations Committee | |
| Member | Education | |
| Member | Consumer & Human Resources Committee | |
| Member | Employee Affairs Subcommittee |
Baum was a board member for 4 years at the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties[8] from 2013–2017. He was a board member at the American Heart Association of Rutherford County for 5 years from 2012–2017. He was a county commissioner at the Rutherford County Commission for 8 years from 2010–2018. He was a board member on the Murfreesboro City School Foundation for 6 years from 2013–2019. He is currently a board member on the Linebaugh Library Foundation Board, where he has served since 2015. Baum is currently a board member at Oaklands Historic Mansion,[9] where he has served since 2016.[5]
Baum has been a part of the American Academy of Economics and Financial Experts[10] (AAEFE) since 2015. He has been a part of National Association of Forensic Economists[11] since January 2013.
Baum published "Calculating Economic Losses from Wrongful Incarceration"[12] in the Tennessee Bar Journal in July 2016. Baum published "Employee Tenure and Economic Losses in Wrongful Termination Cases"[13] in the Journal of Forensic Economics[14] in 2013.
In 1988, Baum became an Eagle Scout, as a part of the Boy Scouts of America.[2] From 2008–2014, Baum served as a chair in the Department of Economics and Finance at MTSU.[2]