Brief Bio:
Senator Regina Thomas of Savannah was elected to the Georgia State Senate in a special election on January 11, 2000. She also served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1995 to 1998, where her efforts were focused on education, children's issues and welfare reform. She served as Assistant Majority Whip in the House from 1997 through 1998.
The Senate Committee on Assignments appointed Senator Thomas to serve as a member of the Education, Appropriations, Reapportionment & Redistricting, and Regulated Industries & Utilities Committees. She is a member of the Appropriations Sub-Committees for Economic Development, Health Care, and Public Safety. She also serves on the Judiciary Sub-committee, the Diabetes Advisory Council and the Georgia World Congress Center Overview committee. Senator Thomas chaired the Senate State Institutions and Property Committee during 2002-2004.
Senator Thomas is the recipient of many awards including "Legislator of the Year 2005 - Georgia Environmental Council", "One of the Most Influential Women, 2006", "The Rev. James Sims Public Service Award, 2003-King Tisdal Institute", Georgia Outstanding Woman of the Year 2007-The Georgia Deaf Association", "Voted 2006 and 2007 Platinum Awards as the Best Community Leader", "Elected Official of the Month May 2005 - Georgia Equality", "Distinguished Service Award - Helen Keller Foundation", etc.
Senator Thomas was nominated by the Savannah Morning News as a Person of Impact "for being a voice in the legslature for those without a voice", "for fighting, with some success, to keep children from being locked out of the State's PeachCare Program for poor families", "for tireless efforts to get state help for the neediest people in her District", "for understanding that success at doing so requires working cooperatively with lawmakers of the opposite party", "for refusing to be silenced even though it cost her a Committee Chairmanship".
A native of Savannah, Senator Thomas is a 1970 graduate of A.E. Beach High School. She is married to Ervin J. Thomas, Sr., a retired policeman. They have three sons, a daughter and nine grandchildren. Senator Thomas also attended Savannah Tech, and the Community College of Baltimore (MD).
She is a member of the Liberty City Church of Christ in Savannah, and she attends area churches regularly.
Active in community affairs, Senator Thomas is a member of Pathways Teaching at Savannah State University. She volunteers with the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum and the Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy Office.
Senator Thomas proudly represents the 2nd Senate District, which includes portions of Chatham County and the City of Savannah. Her favorite scripture is Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" - KJV. Her philosophy is "To thine own self be true"-Shakespeare.
What any such bio doesn't tell you about is the passion and commitment of Senator Regina Thomas to her community and to her country. In his introduction to her live-blogging session at FireDogLake, Howie Klein writes:
In the last few weeks that I've gotten to know Regina Thomas, I've gotten to know a woman, a grandmother and a deeply caring fighter who will always stand up... regardless of what anybody says. Once the Deputy Majority Whip of the Georgia House, since 2000 she has been a senator representing the 2nd district, which includes part of her native Savannah and portions of Chathan County.
Senator Thomas is already seasoned in the ways of legislatures, and she already knows about "compromises" that undercut the children in her district. She already
At DownWithTyranny, they cheered on her entry into the race against Bush Dog Barrow with this introduction:
An impressive Democratic state Senator from Savannah, Regina Thomas, tossed her hat into the ring against Barrow. Yesterday Senator Thomas told me she considers herself a fiscal conservative but when I started asking her the Blue America questions, she had all the right answers. She's adamantly opposed to the occupation of Iraq. When she talks about being pro-choice she makes complete sense on the non-ideological human level and she already voted against an attempt by the far right to pass an anti-gay constitutional amendment in Georgia. ... Her legislative passions have involved education, children's issues, welfare reform, veterans and defense issues, technology and consumer affairs.
And speaking of her opponent, the incumbent John Barrow -- well, let's just say that he's rarely met a Bush legislative proposal he didn't embrace. Oh, he's pleading with everyone he can find to talk Senator Thomas from running against him, and he's having one of those great election-year conversion on a number of issues when he's visiting at home in Savannah. But when the Chips Are Down, he ranks at the very bottom of the pile of Democrats in the House in terms of progressive voting record. To date, in the current Congress, there are only 3 Congresscritters below him (Nick Lampson-TX, Jim Marshall-GA, and Don Cazayoux-LA); Barrow comes in at a scraping-the-bottom-of-the-barrel 31.34%.
But rather than rail against Barrow (too easy), I'm asking you to join us for our live-blogging session with Georgia State Senator Regina Thomas, candidate to represent my home town of Savannah and (parts of) Chatham County, Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives. Once you get to know this proud, strong and wonderful woman, I think you'll agree. She deserves all the support we can give! |
