Tom Bauer - State Representative

State Representative

As a member of the State Legislature, Bauer was noted for his support of legislation to preserve "neighborhood schools." Bauer advocated a "Student's Bill of Rights" that would have required each district to allow students to attend a K-8 school in their neighborhood. Critics said that this plan would have dismantled middle schools and undermine steps that the St. Louis public schools had made to eliminate historic segregation within the public school system.

In 1998, Bauer sought re-election as State Representative. The race was again dominated by the division between Bauer's base of support in the Dogtown neighborhood versus The Hill. Unlike 1996, there was only one candidate from The Hill in this election, Derio Gambaro. Gambaro defeated Bauer in the Democratic primary, 58% to 42% .