Tommy Thompson
Tommy Thompson | |
|---|---|
.JPG) Thompson in 2015 | |
| President of the University of Wisconsin System | |
Acting | |
| In office July 1, 2020 – March 18, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Ray Cross |
| Succeeded by | Mike Falbo (acting) |
| 19th United States Secretary of Health and Human Services | |
| In office February 2, 2001 – January 26, 2005 | |
| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Donna Shalala |
| Succeeded by | Mike Leavitt |
| Chair of the National Governors Association | |
| In office August 1, 1995 – July 16, 1996 | |
| Preceded by | Howard Dean |
| Succeeded by | Bob Miller |
| 42nd Governor of Wisconsin | |
| In office January 5, 1987 – February 1, 2001 | |
| Lieutenant | Scott McCallum |
| Preceded by | Tony Earl |
| Succeeded by | Scott McCallum |
| Minority Leader of the Wisconsin State Assembly | |
| In office December 17, 1981 – January 5, 1987 | |
| Preceded by | John C. Shabaz |
| Succeeded by | Betty Jo Nelsen |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly | |
| In office January 2, 1967 – January 5, 1987 | |
| Preceded by | Louis C. Romell |
| Succeeded by | Ben Brancel |
| Constituency |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | Tommy George Thompson November 19, 1941 |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Sue Mashak (m. 1968) |
| Relatives | Ed Thompson (brother) |
| Education | University of Wisconsin, Madison (BA, JD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army Wisconsin Army National Guard United States Army Reserve |
Years of service | 1966–1972 (ARNG) 1972–1976 (USAR) |
| Rank | Captain |
Tommy George Thompson (born November 19, 1941) is an American politician who served as the 19th United States secretary of health and human services from 2001 to 2005 in the cabinet of President George W. Bush. A member of the Republican Party, he was the 42nd governor of Wisconsin from 1987 to 2001 and Republican floor leader in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1981 to 1987. Thompson is the longest-serving governor in Wisconsin history and is the only person to be elected to the office four times.
During his tenure as governor he was also chair of Amtrak, the nation's passenger rail service. He was chairman of the Republican Governors Association in 1991 and 1992, and the National Governors Association in 1995 and 1996. After his time in the Bush Administration, Thompson became a partner in the law-firm Akin Gump and Independent Chairman of Deloitte's Center for Health Solutions. He has served on the boards of 22 other organizations.[1] Thompson most recently served as interim president of the University of Wisconsin System from 2020 to 2022.[2][3]
Thompson was a candidate for President of the United States, running in the 2008 Republican Party presidential primaries, but withdrew from the race before voting began.[4] He was the Republican nominee for United States Senate in Wisconsin in the 2012 election, vying to replace retiring senator Herb Kohl, but was defeated by Democrat Tammy Baldwin in what was his only statewide election loss.[5]
Early life, education, and military service
[edit]Childhood and family
[edit]Thompson was born in Elroy, Wisconsin.[6][7] His mother, Julie (née Dutton), was a teacher, and his father, Allan Thompson, owned and ran a gas station and country grocery store.[8][9][10] His brother, the late Ed Thompson, was a mayor of Tomah, Wisconsin, and was the Libertarian Party nominee for governor of Wisconsin in 2002.[11]
He has a daughter, Kelli Thompson, who was Wisconsin's state public defender until she stepped down in 2023.[12]
Education
[edit]Thompson earned his bachelor and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1963 and 1966, respectively.[6][7] While in law school, Thompson was elected chairman of the Madison Young Republicans.[13][14][15]
Military service
[edit]Thompson held a student deferment from military service during the Vietnam War until he completed law school in June 1966.[16] The following year, 1966, Thompson enlisted in the National Guard.[16]
After completing six years in the National Guard, Thompson served in the Army Reserves for another four years.[17][18] His final rank was captain.[18]
Early political career (1966–1987)
[edit]Wisconsin Assembly
[edit]Immediately after completing law school in 1966, Thompson ran for the Wisconsin State Assembly.[16] In the Republican primary, he defeated incumbent Assemblyman Louis Romell by 635 votes, after Romell had underestimated the challenge Thompson represented.[16]
In 1973, Thompson became the Assembly's assistant minority leader and its minority leader in 1981.[19] Thompson aggressively used parliamentary procedure to block bills favored by the Democratic majority and stop legislative progress, earning him the nickname "Dr. No" by the frustrated majority.[20][21]
American Legislative Exchange Council
[edit]As a state legislator, Thompson was involved in the early years of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a conservative legislative organization.[22][23][24][25] Speaking at a 2002 ALEC meeting, Thompson stated: "I always loved going to [ALEC] meetings because I always found new ideas. Then I'd take them back to Wisconsin, disguise them a little bit, and declare, 'That's mine.'"[22][23][24] ALEC awarded Thompson its "Thomas Jefferson Award" in 1991.[26]
1979 congressional campaign
[edit]While Thompson was Assistant Minority Leader in the Assembly, incumbent Republican U.S. Congressman William Steiger of Wisconsin's 6th congressional district died at the age of 40 from a heart attack.[27] Thompson was one of seven Republican candidates who ran to replace Steiger in the special election in 1979.[28] State Senator Tom Petri won the primary and general elections and represented the 6th district until his retirement in January 2015.
Governor of Wisconsin (1987–2001)
[edit]Thompson served as the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin, having been elected to an unprecedented four terms. As of April 2013, Thompson has the tenth longest gubernatorial tenure in post-Constitutional U.S. history at 5,141 days.[29]
Elections
[edit]- 1986
Thompson decided to run for Governor of Wisconsin in 1986 against incumbent Democrat Anthony Earl. He ran and won the Republican primary with 52% of the vote in a five candidate field.