Former Riverside resident and conservative activist Steve Baer died on Christmas morning. Baer was 66. Baer and his wife Donna lived in Riverside from 1990 until they moved to northern Kentucky near Cincinnati in 2020.
Baer’s wife said that the cause of his death was a private manner.
Baer was never afraid to challenge the establishment and ruffle feathers. In 1990 he ran for governor mounting a long shot conservative challenge to the late Jim Edgar. Baer lost in the Republican primary. He received about 33 percent of the vote in losing to Edgar. He once served as the executive director of the United Republican Fund where he worked to help conservative Republican candidates who often challenged more moderate Republican officeholders.
Baer was intense, some might say mercurial and quixotic. He was a zealous advocate for what he thought was right and was not afraid to challenge the powerful. He was known for sending long emails to government officials and politicians. In 2013 the conservative magazine National Review published a story about Baer entitled “This Conservative Mega-Donor is the World’s Most Successful E-mail Harasser.”
Baer was a fervid opponent of Donald Trump telling the Landmark in 2016 that he thought Trump was an “evil man.” Baer said spent about $10,000 of his own money opposing Trump in Republican primaries in 2016.
In 2012 Baer supported former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum for president and played an important role in Santorum narrowly winning the Iowa Caucuses. In 2016 Baer supported former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee for president.
“Steve was devoted to his faith, family and principles,” said former Riverside resident and Republican activist and commentator Chris Robling in a text message. “He and Donna could have lived anywhere. They chose Riverside for its beauty and community. He was a vastly devoted dad, who thought nothing of calling a friend to say he had decided on a road trip with his kids to a national park, so ‘can your son come along too.’ He was a great friend over five decades. He left a legacy of many thoughtful examples. I mourn his passing and the loss it brought to the Baer family and his countless buddies across the country.”
Baer caused local controversy in his final years in Riverside by occasionally renting out his large Michaux Avenue home as a short-term rental property. That caused complaints from approximately 300 people and resulted in the Riverside Village Board voting to stop issuing licenses allowing for the short-term rentals of residential property.
Baer was a passionate opponent of abortion and a strong proponent of what he called hetero-monogamy. He was the father of 10 children, who were home schooled. His children and his wife survive him.
Baer was also involved in philanthropic activities. He was especially focused on preventing the spread of malaria in Africa. Donna Baer said the former Oklahoma senator Tom Coburn once told him that Steve’s work saved millions of lives in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Baer worked as real estate developer and investor and once sold reverse mortgages.
Baer was born in Logansport, Indiana and grew up in Chandler, Arizona. He graduated from Brown University where he played football and met Donna.
Services have been held.