Thomas C. Sawyer
| Tom Sawyer | |
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| Member of the Ohio Senate from the 28th district |
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In office February 20, 2007 – December 31, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Kimberly Zurz |
| Succeeded by | Vernon Sykes |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 14th district |
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In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | John F. Seiberling |
| Succeeded by | Steve LaTourette |
| 58th Mayor of Akron, Ohio | |
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In office January 9, 1984 – December 30, 1986 |
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| Preceded by | Roy Ray |
| Succeeded by | Don Plusquellic |
| Member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 44th district |
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In office January 3, 1977 – December 31, 1983 |
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| Preceded by | Paul Wingard |
| Succeeded by | Tom Watkins |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 15, 1945 Akron, Ohio, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Joyce Sawyer |
| Children | 1 |
| Residence | Akron, Ohio, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Akron (B.A., M.A.) |
| Profession | Educator |
Thomas C. "Tom" Sawyer (born August 15, 1945) is an American politician who represented his hometown of Akron, Ohio on all levels of government for nearly fifty years. Previously, he served in the United States Congress, in the Ohio Senate, in the Ohio House of Representatives and as the Mayor of Akron. He is a Democrat.
Sawyer was born in Akron, Ohio. After graduating from Buchtel High School in Akron, Sawyer received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Akron in 1968. He also joined the Alpha Phi Chapter of Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity. Later, Sawyer earned a master of arts degree from Akron in 1970. He worked as an English teacher before seeking political office.
In November 1983, Tom Sawyer defeated the incumbent Republican Mayor of Akron, Roy Ray, in a close election. Sawyer was the first Democrat to be elected Mayor of Akron in over 18 years. No Republican has held the mayor's seat in Akron since Sawyer upset Ray in 1983.
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. Speaking to the New York Times, Sawyer noted that S&W Waste, of Kearny, N.J., had sent the Akron plant waste materials containing highly flammable chemicals on the day of the explosions. During his time as mayor he was arrested for a DUI.
Sawyer successfully ran for US Congress in the 1986 midterm elections and took office on January 3, 1987. He would then serve eight terms in Congress.
Congressman Sawyer gained notoriety as Chairman of the House subcommittee overseeing the 1990 census. He made national news with his study of the 1990 census and subsequent determination that it had failed to count at least 2 million black Americans. Sawyer and others then attempted to readjust the census figures to include a more accurate count of black Americans and the US population as a whole. These efforts were met with stiff opposition. When the Secretary of Commerce refused to adjust the census totals, Congressman Sawyer called the decision a "gerrymander on a national scale."
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Wikipedia