Robert Bauman (April 4, 1937-)is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st Congressional district of Maryland. He was elected to the House as a Republican in 1972, replacing William O. Mills, who had died during the last session of Congress. He was re-elected in 1974, 1976, and 1978, but was defeated in 1980. He was nominated by his party to run for the seat he had lost in 1982, but withdrew from the race before election day. Bauman is perhaps most famous for his well-publicized fall from political grace. Bauman had established a reputation as a strong conservative, often bemoaning the perceived moral decay in the United States. He was a founding member of several conservative activist groups, including Young Americans for Freedom and the American Conservative Union. He frequently placed blame on homosexuals, so it was doubly surprising when Bauman was arrested in October of 1980 for attempting to solicit sex from a 16-year old male prostitute, contributing to his electoral defeat one month later. Bauman was renominated in 1982, but withdrew from the race, and a year later came out as gay.
Bauman is a frequent target of ridicule among liberal groups, who often point to his hypocrisy in blaming gays for moral decay while simultaneously being gay himself.
Preceded by: William O. Mills U.S. Congressman, Maryland 1st District 1973 - 1981 Succeeded by: Roy Dyson
