Charlie Baum

Current office and 2026 campaign

Charlie Baum is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 37, which encompasses parts of Murfreesboro in Rutherford County ¹¹². He assumed office on November 6, 2018, and his current term ends on November 3, 2026 ¹⁶. Baum is running for re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives to represent District 37 as a Republican candidate in the upcoming primary election scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹¹³.

In recent legislative developments, Baum has been appointed by House Speaker Cameron Sexton to serve as chairman of the House Higher Education Subcommittee for the 114th General Assembly ¹⁰. He previously served as vice chair of the Finance, Ways, and Means Committee and is a member of the Education Administration Committee ¹¹⁴. During the current session, Baum introduced House Bill 1447, the Tennessee Retirement Savings Plan Act, which aims to create a voluntary, employee-funded retirement savings program for workers without employer-provided plans ⁵¹⁶. He also sponsored House Bill 2408, which was approved by the House to restrict robocalls by capping companies at 10,000 automated calls per month and establishing penalties for violations ¹⁷.

Baum self-describes his campaign priorities as promoting efficient government, keeping taxes low, improving public education, and making neighborhoods safer ³. He states that his economic career informs his approach to encouraging job growth and helping small businesses through limited government size and low taxes ³. Baum also supports school choice, accountability in schools, and securing economic freedom for all students ¹¹.

Background and education

Charlie Baum was born on December 13, 1972 ²¹². He was raised in Knoxville, Tennessee ³⁷. Baum identifies as a Christian Methodist ⁴.

Baum attended Wake Forest University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics between 1991 and 1995 ⁴¹². He subsequently pursued graduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, earning a Ph.D. in philosophy and economics from 1995 to 1999 ⁴¹².

Career

Charlie Baum earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Wake Forest University between 1991 and 1995 ⁴. He subsequently attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he met his wife, Kelly, and completed a Ph.D. in philosophy and economics in 1999 ³⁴. His doctoral research focused on labor economics, employment trends, wages, and the effects of public policy ¹².

Following his graduation from UNC Chapel Hill in 1999, Baum moved to Murfreesboro with his wife ⁷. He began teaching economics for the Department of Economics and Finance at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) that same year ⁷. Baum served as a professor in the Jennings A. Jones College of Business at MTSU for more than 25 years, holding the position of department chair at one point during his tenure ⁷¹⁰. He is also listed as Professor Charles Baum II in the university's economics department ¹⁵.

Office history

Charlie Baum was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 37 in 2018, succeeding Republican Dawn White ¹². He assumed office on November 6, 2018, as a member of the 111th General Assembly ⁹. Baum has been re-elected in subsequent cycles, including a victory in the 2024 general election where he defeated Democrat Cheri Brown with 64.3 percent of the vote ¹⁴. His current term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 ¹¹³.

As a state representative, Baum has held several key committee assignments. During the 2023–2024 session, he served as Vice Chair of the Finance, Ways, and Means Committee and was a member of the Education Administration Committee and the Pensions and Insurance Committee ¹. In February 2025, Speaker Cameron Sexton appointed Baum as Chairman of the House Higher Education Subcommittee for the 114th General Assembly, marking his first time chairing that subcommittee ⁷¹⁰.

Baum has introduced legislation addressing economic and educational issues. In January 2026, he proposed the Tennessee Retirement Savings Plan Act (House Bill 1447), a voluntary, employee-funded retirement savings program for workers without employer-provided plans ⁵¹⁶. In April 2026, his House Bill 2408 was approved by the House to restrict robocalls by capping automated calls at 10,000 per month and establishing penalties for violations ¹⁷. He has also advocated for changes to school funding formulas to reduce delays in state payments to growing districts like Rutherford County Schools ¹⁸.

Baum is currently a candidate for re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives in District 37. He appears on the ballot for the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹¹³. The outcome of this upcoming election has not yet been determined.

Legislative record and accomplishments

Baum has served on several key committees during his tenure, including the Education Administration Committee and the Pensions and Insurance Committee ¹. He also serves as Vice Chair of the Finance, Ways, and Means Committee ¹¹⁴. In 2025, Speaker Cameron Sexton appointed Baum as Chairman of the House Higher Education Subcommittee for the 114th General Assembly, marking his first year in that leadership role ¹⁰.

In January 2026, Baum introduced the Tennessee Retirement Savings Plan Act (House Bill 1447), which aims to create a voluntary, employee-funded retirement savings program for workers who do not have access to employer-sponsored plans ⁵¹⁶. The legislation is designed to help self-employed individuals and those working for small businesses build long-term financial security through a state-facilitated system similar to a 401(k) ⁵¹⁶.

In April 2026, the Tennessee House approved Baum’s House Bill 2408, which imposes restrictions on automated telemarketing calls ¹⁷. The bill caps companies at 10,000 automated calls per month and requires them to maintain monthly records of their call volume, establishing penalties for violations to protect consumers, particularly seniors, from robocalls ¹⁷.

Baum has a history of supporting conservative economic principles and limited government, citing his background in economics as a basis for encouraging job growth through low taxes ³. He has consistently advocated for school choice, accountability in public education, and reduced regulatory burdens on businesses ¹¹. Baum also supported the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act (SB 16/HB 1) and the Business Protection Act (SB 364/HB 563) during the 2020 legislative session ⁸.

Business interests and wealth source

Charlie Baum’s primary source of income and professional background is derived from his career in higher education economics rather than private business ownership or family wealth. He has served as a professor of economics at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) since 1999, following the completion of his Ph.D. in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ²⁴⁷¹². Baum self-describes his career focus as being in economics, stating that his professional experience teaches him how to encourage job growth and help small businesses through limited government and low taxes ³.

Public financial disclosures and biographical records do not indicate that Baum holds significant ownership stakes in private corporations or derives wealth from the sale of businesses. Instead, his professional profile is defined by his academic tenure at MTSU’s Jennings A. Jones College of Business, where he has served as a department chair and continues to teach courses such as ECON2410 ⁷¹⁵. Baum resides in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, with his wife, Kelly, and their three children ²⁴.

While Baum is not described as a business owner, his legislative work frequently intersects with economic policy affecting private enterprise. He has introduced legislation to regulate automated phone calls by companies, including caps on call volume and record-keeping requirements for businesses ¹⁷. Additionally, he has proposed the Tennessee Retirement Savings Plan Act to assist workers who do not have access to employer-sponsored retirement plans, such as those in small businesses or self-employed individuals ⁵¹⁶. Baum’s campaign platform emphasizes conservative economic principles, low taxes, and support for small business growth, aligning with his background as an economics professor ³¹⁴.

Family

Charlie Baum met his wife, Kelly, while earning his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ³⁷. They have three children: Elizabeth, Anna Jane, and Charles ²⁴.

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