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. 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.
Early life
Sawyer was born in Akron, Ohio. After graduating from Buchtel High School in Akron,
Mayor of Akron
In November 1983, Sawyer defeated the incumbent Republican Mayor of Akron, Roy Ray, in a close election.
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. Sawyer helped manage the aftermath of the tragedy and assisted in the investigation. He would then serve eight terms in Congress. 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. 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. When the Commerce Secretary Robert Mosbacher refused to adjust the census totals, Congressman Sawyer called the decision a "gerrymander on a national scale." He voted against the Welfare Reform Act of 1996. Sawyer also voted against the impeachment of President Clinton. On the House floor during this debate, Sawyer quoted Sir Thomas More in defense of Clinton and in condemnation of the Congressional impeachment proceedings.
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). Sawyer called his vote "the toughest decision I've ever had to make in public life."
Exit from Congress
2002 primary campaign
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. A newly configured district, the 17th, placed large parts of Youngstown in the same district as parts of Akron. 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. Traficant's protege, State Senator Tim Ryan, defeated Sawyer in a late upset. Sawyer outspent Ryan 6–1, but ultimately lost the election.
Ohio Senate
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.
As a member of the Ohio Senate Controlling Board, Sawyer voted to adopt Medicaid expansion in Ohio. Ohio's Medicaid expansion covered thousands of Ohioans who previously did not have insurance. The state share costs were offset by small insurance and sales taxes. 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. The resolution passed with 71% of the vote. This law, once implemented, will end the practice of gerrymandering (partisan drawing of legislative district lines) for Ohio legislative districts.
During the 131st General Assembly, Senator Sawyer helped the legislature adopt House Bill 2, which was a version of Sawyer's Senate Bill 148, to reform Ohio's charter school oversight laws.
In the November 2008 general election, Sawyer held his Senate seat by defeating Republican James Carr.
In 2012, Sawyer was elected to a second full term, defeating Republican Robert Roush 71.5% to 28.5%. He served as Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee from 2012 to 2014.
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.
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. He was replaced by Democrat Vernon Sykes.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Education (Ranking Member)
- Committee on Finance (Previously served as Ranking Member) He died from complications of Parkinson's disease at a care facility in Akron on May 20, 2023, at the age of 77.
Electoral history
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+ Ohio Senate 28th District: 2008 to 2012
!|Year
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
|-
|2012
|
| |Tom Sawyer
| align="right" |104,697
| |71.88%
|
|| Robert Roush
|| 40,952
|| 28.12%
|-
|2008
|
| |Tom Sawyer
| align="right" |108,168
| |68.36%
|
|| James Carr
|| 50,064
|| 31.64%
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+ Ohio's 14th Congressional District: 1986 to 2000
!|Year
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Libertarian
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Independent
!|Votes
!|Pct
|-
|2000
|
| |Tom Sawyer
| align="right" |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
| align="right" |106,020
| |62.73%
|
|| Tom Watkins
|| 62,997
|| 37.27%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1996
|
| |Tom Sawyer
| align="right" |124,136
| |54.34%
|
|| Joyce George
|| 95,307
|| 41.72%
|
|Ryan Lewis
|16
|0.01%
|
| Terry Wilkinson
| 8,976
| 3.93%
|-
|1994
|
| |Tom Sawyer
| align="right" |89,093
| |51.90%
|
|| Lynn Slaby
|| 76,090
|| 48.10%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1992
|
| |Tom Sawyer
| align="right" |125,430
| |67.80%
|
|| Robert Morgan
|| 64,090
|| 32.20%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1990
|
| |Tom Sawyer
| align="right" |90,090
| |59.60%
|
|| Jean Bender
|| 66,090
|| 40.40%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1988
|
| |Tom Sawyer
| align="right" |159,090
| |74.70%
|
|| Loretta Lang
|| 50,090
|| 25.30%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1986
|
| |Tom Sawyer
| align="right" |86,004
| |53.70%
|
|| Lynn Slaby
|| 73,230
|| 46.30%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|}
*Italics indicate incumbent
See also
- List of United States representatives from Ohio
References
External links
- Vote Tom Sawyer, official campaign website
- Project Vote Smart - Senator Thomas C. 'Tom' Sawyer (OH) profile
- Follow the Money – Thomas C. Sawyer
- 2006 campaign contributions