Edward Baker, heroic Republican Senator and Colonel

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute Edward Baker. What a career he had!

Born in London, Baker immigrated to Pennsylvania with his parents as a child and then to Illinois as a teenager. There, he joined the Whig Party and was elected to the state legislature. Abraham Lincoln befriended him and named his second son after him.

In 1844, Baker won a term in the U.S. House of Representatives. The young congressman resigned in order to command a regiment during the Mexican War. He then won another congressional term.

Baker next moved to San Francisco in 1851 and practiced law. Within months of moving to Oregon in 1859 he was elected to the U.S. Senate as a Republican.

Outbreak of civil war, Senator Baker raised a regiment of Pennsylvania volunteers and became its colonel. October 21st 1861, rebels shot him while he was leading an impetuous attack along the Potomac River about thirty miles northwest of Washington, DC.

When the President heard of his death, "With bowed head, and tears rolling down his furrowed cheeks, his face pale and wan, his heart heaving with emotion, he almost fell as he stepped into the street."

Back to Basics for the Republican Party is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quote the book: "The more we Republicans know about the history of our party, the more Democrats will worry about the future of theirs. For more information, see www.grandoldpartisan.com. 

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Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement.


Each day, his YouTube videos and TikTok videos and Rumble videos and Grand Old Partisan blog celebrate more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states.

Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision.

"This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!"

"Your book is a national treasure. I'm always recommending it."

"Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before."

and

"one of the best books I ever read"

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