CitizenBaines

CitizenBaines, known more commonly by his birth name, Charles Foster Baines, is an American politician serving as a state senator for the State of Superior since 2021. A Democrat, he previously served in a list seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2021.

Baines defeated Senate Majority Leader DDYT in the March 2021 Superior gubernatorial election with 52.5% of the vote and is currently serving as the 2nd Governor of Superior.

Early Life and Career
Baines was born on April 3, 1969, in Craig, Fremont to parents Thomas and Mildred Baines. After graduating from Moffat County High School in 1987, he moved to Denver, Fremont and began writing for a local newspaper. He reported on local political affairs for five years before pivoting to opinion writing at the Denver Post in 1992. He remained at the Post for 28 years until filling a vacancy in the House of Representatives in 2021 as a Democrat.

House of Representatives (January - February 2021)
Baines filled a list seat vacancy at the start of the term, in January 2021. During his tenure, he focused his efforts on raising awareness of a variety of issues, mainly by writing open letters urging action from President Ninjja. This included an open letter he wrote urging the President to lift the ban on transgender individuals implemented by his predecessor, Donald Trump, an open letter that ultimately led to the lifting of the controversial ban.

Superior State Senate (February 2021 - March 2021)
Baines resigned from the House of Representatives in February 2021 to fill a vacancy in the Superior State Senate. While serving in the state senate, Baines wrote legislation to change the name of the state from Lincoln to Superior, and then designed the new flag and seal, both of which were swiftly adopted by the Senate in the form of the Superior Symbols Amendment.

March 2021 Superior Gubernatorial Election
Baines officially announced his candidacy in the March 2021 Superior gubernatorial election on February 20, 2021. He won the Democratic primary on March 7, 2021 with 86.9% of the vote. In the March 2021 election, Baines defeated Senate Majority Leader DDYT with 52.5% of the vote and was officially elected the next Governor of the State of Superior.

Political Positions
Baines is a Democrat with progressive beliefs. He has used his time in public office to champion civil rights, particularly for the LGBTQ+ community, as well as to highlight the issue of climate change.

In a February 21, 2021, interview with Regional Register reporter Cosmo Broadbent, Baines revealed that he was born in the conservative town of Craig and, while living there, came to sympathize with liberal policies as he became more interested in politics. He has spoken highly of President Jimmy Carter, indicating that his views are similar to his own, while decrying the policies and ideology of President Donald Trump.

Personal Life
Baines has never been married or fathered any children. He currently resides in the Governor's mansion in Lansing with his cat, named Wallace.