Randal Tye Thomas facts for kids

Randal Tye Thomas was a young politician who served as the Mayor of Gun Barrel City, Texas. He was born on August 23, 1978, and passed away on January 13, 2014. He also played a role in the 2000 Presidential Election as a member of the Electoral College.

Early Life and Education

Tye Thomas was born in Terrell, Texas, on August 23, 1978. He grew up in Mabank, Texas. As a teenager, he was an active member of the Methodist church in Mabank.

He showed a talent for business from a young age. While still a student at Mabank High School, he started his own newspaper called Cedar Creek Briefs. He once said that his newspaper earned him more money than his parents made together.

His newspaper helped him win a high school contest sponsored by Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. He won a full scholarship to the university, where he studied business.

College Years

At Johnson & Wales University, Tye Thomas quickly became well-known. As a freshman, he was elected the first president of the new College Republicans club. This club helps students learn about and support the Republican Party. Later, he was elected Student Body President, which meant he led the student government.

While in college, Thomas owned a business that operated almost 100 vending machines across Rhode Island. He also worked at a credit union, helping with loans and assisting the president. For about a year, he volunteered for the Governor of Rhode Island, Lincoln Almond.

Thomas earned two degrees from Johnson & Wales: an Associate of Science degree in Business Administration in 1998 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing in 1999. After graduating, he moved to Gun Barrel City, Texas, where he had bought a home by a lake.

Becoming Mayor of Gun Barrel City

In January 2000, Thomas started a weekly newspaper in Gun Barrel City called Lakeside News. The next month, he began campaigning to become the Mayor of Gun Barrel City.

On May 6, 2000, he won the election easily, getting 67% of the votes. He was only 21 years old, making him the youngest Mayor in Gun Barrel City's history and the youngest Mayor in Texas history.

Mayor's Achievements

During his time as Mayor, Thomas achieved a lot and received support from the community. He also got attention from local, state, and national news.

One of his first actions was to give all police department employees a 10% pay raise. He also used his veto power once to stop the City Council from raising the cost of an ambulance ride by $200. Even though the council later voted to override his veto, it showed he was looking out for the citizens.

Thomas was seen as a rising star in the Texas Republican Party. He planned to run for State Representative after his term as Mayor ended. He was friends with many important politicians, including Congressman Pete Sessions and Governor Rick Perry.

Electoral College Role

In the 2000 Presidential Election, Thomas was chosen to be a member of the Electoral College. This group of people officially casts votes for the President and Vice President.

When George W. Bush was elected President in 2000, Thomas cast his Electoral vote in Austin, Texas, on December 18, 2000. For that one day, he was considered a Texas Statewide Elected Official.

Resignation as Mayor

After serving as Mayor for 54 weeks, Thomas decided to resign. All legal issues against him were later dropped.

After his resignation, Thomas and the community were featured in many publications and programs. These included a story in Texas Monthly magazine and an interview on the national radio show This American Life. His story was also covered by major newspapers like the Fort Worth Star Telegram and The Dallas Morning News. Two students from the University of North Texas even made a 30-minute film about his short political career called "Political Confusion."

Later Life

After leaving office, Thomas became friends with Billie Sol Estes. The next year, Thomas ran for a seat on the Gun Barrel City Council but did not win.

In 2002, Thomas moved to the Dallas County, Texas, area. He started teaching business classes at small colleges. He also changed his political party and became a Democrat. He was active in the Dallas County Young Democrats and was chosen to be a Democratic Precinct Chair several times. He was also appointed twice to serve as an Election Judge.

He also changed his religious beliefs and became a Unitarian Universalist. He married Catherine in 2003, but they divorced in November 2005.

Mr. Thomas later moved to Providence, Rhode Island. He passed away on January 13, 2014, in his home.