Robert A. Baines

Robert A. Baines (born 1946) is a former mayor of Manchester, New Hampshire. He served in that office from 2000 - 2006. A Democrat, he was first elected in November 1999, defeating incumbent Republican Raymond Wieczorek. Manchester mayoral elections are held every other year - in his last bid for the office he was elected by over two-thirds of the voters. He was beaten by Republican Alderman Frank Guinta on November 8, 2005.

Biography

Baines grew up at [http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1+Jefferson+Street,+Manchester+NH&spn=0.047364,0.094259&t=h&hl=en 1 Jefferson Street] in Manchester. He earned his bachelor's degree in music education from Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1968. He earned his master's in school administration in 1976 from Rivier College; he has done additional graduate study at the University of New Hampshire. He married his wife, Maureen, in 1974.

From 1968 to 1977 he was first a music teacher in a Hudson, New Hampshire high school before becoming assistant principal in the same school. 1980 saw Baines become principal of Manchester High School West, a position he was to hold until 1999, when he became mayor.

Baines is father of three children in their twenties, Timothy, Christina, and Catherine (b. 1985). Since 2004, he is grandfather of Jacob Miller (son of Christina and Michael Miller).

On July 21, 2006, Baines underwent surgery at Elliot Hospital in Manchester to remove a blockage in his colon. It was later [http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Colon+tumor+was+cancer%2c+Baines%27+family+confirms&articleId=deeefbbe-d4ac-41d3-a0ee-33a38b25b9e5] revealed to have been a cancerous growth.

He has served on the board of directors for the National Association of Secondary School Principals and is currently a trustee and executive in residence at Southern New Hampshire University. In June 2007 Baines was named interim president of Chester College of New England a position he is slated to hold for one year while the college searches for a replacement for former college president William Nevious [http://chestercollege.edu/news.php?pageID=90&newsID=164] .

Political Career and Distinctions

Baines served two terms on the Manchester Board of Schools Committee in the early 1970s. He was a member of the 39th Army Band, New Hampshire National Guard from 1970 to 1976, and was awarded the New Hampshire Principal of the Year in 1990. 1996 saw him receive the Educator of the Year award from the Manchester Chamber of Commerce. In 2004 and 2005, he was named one of New Hampshire's "Ten Most Powerful People" by "Business NH" Magazine. As noted above, he was elected mayor of the city of Manchester in 1999, and reelected in 2001 and 2003. He was defeated in 2005.

On May 11, 2007, a New Hampshire Union Leader blog reported that Baines said he will not seek elected office again. [http://blogs.unionleader.com/andrew-cline/?p=744]

Electoral history

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Robert A. Baines
votes = 12,159
percentage = 51.8
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (US)
candidate = Raymond J. Wieczorek (Incumbent)
votes = 11,327
percentage = 48.2
change =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Robert A. Baines (Incumbent)
votes = 12,321
percentage = 57.3
change = + 5.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (US)
candidate = Richard H. Girard
votes = 9,187
percentage = 42.7
change =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Robert A. Baines (Incumbent)
votes = 11,742
percentage = 66.7
change = + 9.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (US)
candidate = Carlos Gonzales
votes = 5,106
percentage = 29.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Bob Shaw
votes = 745
percentage = 4.2
change =

*Note: Bob Shaw was a write-in candidate who happened to be affiliated with the Democratic Party.

Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (US)
candidate = Frank Guinta
votes = 10,125
percentage = 51.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Robert A. Baines (Incumbent)
votes = 9,597
percentage = 48.7
change = - 18.0

External links and references

* [http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Colon+tumor+was+cancer%2c+Baines%27+family+confirms&articleId=deeefbbe-d4ac-41d3-a0ee-33a38b25b9e5 Colon tumor was cancer, Baines' family confirms.] New Hampshire Union Leader article. by Riley Yates. July 26, 2006. Accessed Aug. 1, 2006.