Press "Enter" to skip to content

Bob Burns to run for St. Louis County Council in 2020

Four-term state Rep. Bob Burns has decided to make a bid for St. Louis County Council in 2020. 

Burns, 71, has served in the General Assembly representing HD 93 since 2012. He’s making a bid for the 6th district in the St. Louis County Council.

“I have always believed that the needs of the people should come before politics,” Burns said in a statement. “I’m running because I feel my experience can help St. Louis County make real progress in solving the issues we share in common.” 

State Rep. Bob Burns

Born in St. Louis, Burns lives in Affton with his wife. If elected, he has promised to be an advocate for law enforcement officials and first responders as well as focus on both public and private schools. 

“We need to maintain the emphasis on reducing crime rates and keeping the residents of the 6th district and St. Louis County safe. I will fight to see that all of the Prop P money approved by voters goes to public safety and to ensure we have two officers per patrol car,” Burns, a Democrat, said. 

Burns spent more than three decades in the brewery industry and was a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters for 34 years. He’s worked for former U.S. Congressman Dick Gephardt and former U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill. 

He is also a former alderman for the city of St. George and has served on the Affton Board of Education and the Board of Trustees of the St. Louis Community College. 

The 6th district is represented on the St. Louis County Council by Ernie Trakas, a Republican attorney. He has served in the elected position since 2017 and has a campaign committee filed with the MEC for 2020. 

Trakas was the subject of a sexual harassment complaint from a former employee earlier this year. He has denied the allegations. 

Democrats hold a one-seat majority over Republicans on the committee. 

Burns reported having more than $19,600 cash on hand during the latest quarterly filings; Trakas reported more than $5,400.