Statement of Jim Conzelman
President & CEO of The Ripon Society 

On the passing of former Senator Howard Baker 

“Washington lost one of its wise men today in Howard Baker. He was a true statesman and a symbol of what Americans look for in their elected leaders. He was honest, fair-minded, and courteous, and always had the country’s best interests at heart. He was also someone who was unafraid to challenge his party and work across the aisle. As he told The Ripon Forum in 2007:

‘I’m a life-long and proud Republican. Unlike some, however, I don’t believe loyalty to party precludes common sense decision and policymaking. Some of our Nation’s greatest triumphs have come when political leaders have not allowed partisan differences to deter their efforts to find solutions that are in the Nation’s best interest.’

“The Ripon Society mourns Senator Baker’s passing, we pay tribute to his service, and we hope that his life serves as an example for America’s leaders to follow today.”

The Ripon Society is a public policy organization that was founded in 1962 and takes its name from the town where the Republican Party was born in 1854 – Ripon, Wisconsin. One of the main goals of The Ripon Society is to promote the ideas and principles that have made America great and contributed to the GOP’s success. These ideas include keeping our nation secure, keeping taxes low and having a federal government that is smaller, smarter and more accountable to the people.