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American politician (1945–2023) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thomas Charles Sawyer (August 15, 1945 – May 20, 2023) was an American politician of the Democratic Party. During a career that spanned five decades, he represented his hometown of Akron, Ohio, across multiple levels of government.[2] He was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1977 to 1983, the Mayor of Akron from 1984 to 1986, a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1987 to 2003, and a member of the Ohio Senate from 2007 to 2016.[2][3]
Tom Sawyer | |
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![]() Sawyer in 2001 | |
Member of the Ohio Senate from the 28th district | |
In office February 20, 2007 – December 31, 2016 | |
Preceded by | Kimberly Zurz |
Succeeded by | Vernon Sykes |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 14th district | |
In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2003 | |
Preceded by | John F. Seiberling |
Succeeded by | Steve LaTourette |
58th Mayor of Akron, Ohio | |
In office January 9,[citation needed] 1984 – December 30,[citation needed] 1986[1] | |
Preceded by | Roy Ray |
Succeeded by | Don Plusquellic |
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 44th district | |
In office January 3, 1977 – December 31, 1983 | |
Preceded by | Paul Wingard |
Succeeded by | Tom Watkins |
Personal details | |
Born | Thomas Charles Sawyer August 15, 1945 Akron, Ohio, U.S. |
Died | May 20, 2023 77) Akron, Ohio, U.S. | (aged
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Joyce Handler |
Children | 1 |
Alma mater | University of Akron (B.A., M.A.) |
Profession | Educator |
Sawyer was born in Akron, Ohio.[4] After graduating from Buchtel High School in Akron,[4] Sawyer received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Akron in 1968.[4] He also joined the Alpha Phi chapter of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. Later, Sawyer earned a master of arts degree from Akron in 1970.[4] He worked as an English teacher in Cleveland before seeking political office, winning a seat in the Ohio House of Representatives in 1977.[5][6]
In November 1983, Sawyer defeated the incumbent Republican Mayor of Akron, Roy Ray, in a close election.[5] Sawyer was the first Democrat to be elected Mayor of Akron in over 18 years.[5] No Republican has held the mayor's seat in Akron since Sawyer upset Ray in 1983.[7]
On December 20, 1984, during Sawyer's first year as mayor, an explosion at the Akron Recycle Energy System plant caused the deaths of three people.[8] Sawyer helped manage the aftermath of the tragedy and assisted in the investigation.[8] Speaking to the New York Times, Sawyer noted that S&W Waste, of Kearny, New Jersey, had sent the Akron plant waste materials containing highly flammable chemicals on the day of the explosions.[8]
Sawyer successfully ran for a seat in the U.S. Congress in the 1986 midterm elections and took office on January 3, 1987.[9] He would then serve eight terms in Congress.[9]
Congressman Sawyer gained notoriety as Chairman of the House subcommittee overseeing the 1990 U.S. census.[10] He made national news with his study of the 1990 census and subsequent determination that it had failed to count at least two million black Americans.[11] Sawyer and others attempted to readjust the census figures to include a more accurate count of black Americans and the U.S. population as a whole, but their efforts were opposed.[11][12] When the Commerce Secretary Robert Mosbacher refused to adjust the census totals, Congressman Sawyer called the decision a "gerrymander on a national scale."[12] The national undercount in 1990 was eventually estimated to exclude around 1.6% of the population.[6]
In 1993, Sawyer voted for President Bill Clinton's federal budget bill.[13] He voted against the Welfare Reform Act of 1996.[14] Sawyer also voted against the impeachment of President Clinton.[15] On the House floor during this debate, Sawyer quoted Sir Thomas More in defense of Clinton and in condemnation of the Congressional impeachment proceedings.[16]
One of the most controversial votes cast by Tom Sawyer during his time in the U.S. House of Representatives was his vote for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).[17][18][19] Sawyer called his vote "the toughest decision I've ever had to make in public life."[19]
Sawyer voted against authorization for the deployment of United States armed forces in Iraq in 2002.[20]
A round of redistricting following the 2000 census redrew Ohio's congressional map. The state lost a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.[21] A newly configured district, the 17th, placed large parts of Youngstown in the same district as parts of Akron.[21][22] The new district most closely resembled the one recently vacated by U.S. Representative Jim Traficant, who had been convicted on corruption charges and sent to federal prison.[23] Traficant's protege, State Senator Tim Ryan, defeated Sawyer in a late upset.[18] Sawyer outspent Ryan 6-1, but ultimately lost the election.[18] Despite maintaining high pro-union ratings throughout his career, Sawyer's vote for NAFTA is often credited at the reason Tim Ryan defeated the 8-term Congressman.[17][18][22]
Sawyer again sought to return to Congress during the 2006 Democratic primary. He aimed to replace then-Congressman Sherrod Brown in the 13th district, after Brown vacated the seat to run for the U.S. Senate. However, former State Representative Betty Sutton won an 8-way primary and went on to win the general election with support from national Democrats and EMILY's List.[24]
When Akron-based State Senator Kim Zurz was appointed to run the Ohio Department of Commerce in Spring of 2007, Sawyer was selected by legislative leaders to fill the vacancy.[25]
As a member of the Ohio Senate Controlling Board, Sawyer voted to adopt Medicaid expansion in Ohio.[26][27] Ohio's Medicaid expansion covered thousands of Ohioans who previously did not have insurance.[28] The state share costs were offset by small insurance and sales taxes.[28]
During the 130th and 131st General Assemblies, Sawyer jointly sponsored resolutions with Republican Senator Frank LaRose to reform the drawing of legislative district lines in Ohio.[29][30][31] The House and Senate eventually passed a version of the senators' proposal and sent it to the Ohio voters as State Issue 1 in November 2015.[32] The resolution passed with 71% of the vote.[33] This law, once implemented, will end the practice of gerrymandering (partisan drawing of legislative district lines) for Ohio legislative districts.[32] Senators Sawyer and LaRose at one time were working on a measure that would end gerrymandering at the Congressional level in Ohio as well.[33][34][35]
During the 131st General Assembly, Senator Sawyer helped the legislature adopt House Bill 2, which was a version of Sawyer's Senate Bill 148,[36] to reform Ohio's charter school oversight laws.[37][38][39][40]
In the November 2008 general election, Sawyer held his Senate seat by defeating Republican James Carr.[41]
In 2012, Sawyer was elected to a second full term, defeating Republican Robert Roush 71.5% to 28.5%.[42] He served as Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee from 2012-14.
In 2015, he considered running again for Akron mayor after the abrupt resignation of longtime incumbent mayor Don Plusquellic. Sawyer eventually decided against the run.[43]
Sawyer's tenure in the Ohio Senate concluded at the end of 2016. The state's term limit rules barred Sawyer from seeking the seat for a third consecutive term.[44] He was replaced by Democrat Vernon Sykes.
Sawyer lived in Akron. He and his wife, the former Joyce Handler, had a daughter.[46] He died from complications of Parkinson's disease at a care facility in Akron on May 20, 2023, at the age of 77.[6][47]
This section needs additional citations for verification. (May 2023) |
Year | Democrat | Votes | Pct | Republican | Votes | Pct | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | Tom Sawyer | 104,697 | 71.88% | Robert Roush | 40,952 | 28.12% | ||
2008 | Tom Sawyer | 108,168 | 68.36% | James Carr | 50,064 | 31.64% |
Year | Democrat | Votes | Pct | Republican | Votes | Pct | Libertarian | Votes | Pct | Independent | Votes | Pct | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | Tom Sawyer | 149,184 | 64.80% | Rick Wood | 71,432 | 31.00% | William Mcdaniel Jr. | 5,603 | 2.40% | Walter Keith | 3,869 | 1.70% | ||||
1998 | Tom Sawyer | 106,020 | 62.73% | Tom Watkins | 62,997 | 37.27% | ||||||||||
1996 | Tom Sawyer | 124,136 | 54.34% | Joyce George | 95,307 | 41.72% | Ryan Lewis | 16 | 0.01% | Terry Wilkinson | 8,976 | 3.93% | ||||
1994 | Tom Sawyer | 89,093 | 51.90% | Lynn Slaby | 76,090 | 48.10% | ||||||||||
1992 | Tom Sawyer | 125,430 | 67.80% | Robert Morgan | 64,090 | 32.20% | ||||||||||
1990 | Tom Sawyer | 90,090 | 59.60% | Jean Bender | 66,090 | 40.40% | ||||||||||
1988 | Tom Sawyer | 159,090 | 74.70% | Loretta Lang | 50,090 | 25.30% | ||||||||||
1986 | Tom Sawyer | 86,004 | 53.70% | Lynn Slaby | 73,230 | 46.30% |
*Italics indicate incumbent
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