Facing state term limits in 1998, Baca passed up challenging longtime liberal Rep. George Brown (D-Calif.) and ran for the State Senate. But when Brown died in July 1999, Baca jumped into the House race, taking on the lawmaker's widow, Marta Macias Brown, in the Democratic primary. Widows of members had won in 35 of the last 36 House races, but Baca won the primary, 55 to 40 percent, and the general election, 51 to 45 percent.

Chairmanship of the Hispanic Congressional Caucus

Baca was voted chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in November 2006 and his term began in January 2007. A co-sponsor to a landmark immigration compromise, Baca hoped that he could become a national spokesman on Hispanic issues.

But Baca's CHC tenure was controversial. First, he was criticized when CHC funds were used to support the election bids of Baca's two sons, Jeremy and Joe Baca Jr., who were running for state Assembly and state Senate. A bad taste lingered even though Baca said he recused himself from the decision over whether to contribute; the PAC money was returned.

But Baca was involved in another controversy in 2007, when accusations swirled that he had called at least one of his female colleagues a derogatory name, leading to allegations by CHC's female members that they were mistreated. Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) resigned from the caucus in April 2007 after saying that Baca called her a "whore" in a conversation with the then-speaker of the California Assembly. Sanchez's sister, Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.), suspended her membership in the caucus a few weeks later. Then-Rep. Hilda Solis (D-Calif.) expressed support for the Sanchez sisters, and Baca called her Solis a "kiss-up" to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Baca later apologized to Solis privately and publicly). Leading Democrats like House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Loretta Sanchez's resignation was "a matter of concern," but an issue for the caucus.

Baca said the allegations were "categorically untrue." A revolt followed soon after and Baca survived a confidence vote to remain CHC chairman in March 2007. The episode with the Sanchez sisters prompted Esquire magazine to list Baca eighth in a 2008 list of the 10 worst members of Congress.

On a policy front, during Baca's tenure, the CHC was successful in beating back GOP efforts to introduce English-only policies in workplace. It also persuaded PBS to include Hispanics in a World War II documentary that caucus members said will pay dividends as it is replayed in schools. But despite clout and support from the White House and Congress, comprehensive immigration supported by the CHC failed to become law in 2007. Baca was replaced by Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.), who was elected CHC chair in 2008.

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