Walter Stephan Baring

Democrat Representative of Nevada

Congresses Served

House Terms

January 1, 1911 (64 years old)

Birthday

January 1, 1975

Death

Served ten terms as a United States representative from Nevada during the mid-20th century
Born in Goldfield, Nevada, with German and Bohemian ancestry
Graduated from the University of Nevada in 1934 with two bachelor’s degrees
Worked as a collector for the U.S. Internal Revenue Service before joining politics
Served in the United States Navy during World War II
Held a position in the Nevada Assembly in 1936 and was reelected before joining the war effort
Elected to the Reno City Council post-war and criticized President Franklin Roosevelt’s court-packing plan
Initially elected to Congress in 1948, faced defeats and re-elections, with a significant shift to the right in political stance over his career
Compiled a liberal voting record in his first two terms but later aligned with the conservative Southern wing of his party, opposing many Great Society programs
Criticized for his opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and contended that the Civil Rights Movement was influenced by Communists
Defeated in the Democratic primary in 1972 by a more liberal Democrat
Remained politically active until his health declined, leading to his death from heart and lung failure in 1975 at the age of 63