Mike Thompson (California politician)

Mike Thompson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 5th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2013
Preceded by	Doris Matsui
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 1st district
In office January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2013
Preceded by	Frank Riggs
Succeeded by	Doug LaMalfa
California State Senator from the 2nd district
In office 1990–1998
Preceded by	Barry Keene
Succeeded by	Wesley Chesbro
Personal details
Born	Charles Michael Thompson January 24, 1951 St. Helena, California
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Jan Thompson
Children	2
Residence	St. Helena, California
Alma mater	California State University, Chico Napa Valley College[1]
Occupation	Vintner
Religion	Roman Catholic
Awards	Purple Heart Combat Infantryman Badge[2]
Military service
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1967–1973[2]
Rank	Staff Sergeant[2]
Unit	173rd Airborne Brigade[2]
Battles/wars	Vietnam War[2]

Charles Michael "Mike" Thompson^[3] (born January 24, 1951)^[4] is the U.S. Representative for California's 5th congressional district, serving since 1999. He is the current Chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.^[5] He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district, numbered as the 1st District until 2013, includes Napa County plus portions of Contra Costa, Lake, Solano, and Sonoma counties.

Early life, education and career

Thompson was born in St. Helena, California, the son of Beverly Ann (née Forni) and Charles Edward Thompson. His father was of English ancestry and his mother was of Italian and Swiss descent.^[6] He was educated at California State University, Chico, served in Vietnam with the United States Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade,^[7] was a vineyard owner and maintenance supervisor, taught Public Administration and State Government at San Francisco State University and California State University, Chico, and was a member of the California State Senate before entering the House.^[4]

Early political career

Thompson served as an aide to Democrat Jackie Speier (then a state Assemblywoman) before winning election to the California State Senate in 1990. He very narrowly unseated 4th district Republican incumbent Jim Nielsen after Nielsen's reputation took a hit following a series of ethical missteps;^[8][9] Thompson's margin of victory was less than 1 percent.^[10]

Following the 1992 general election, Democratic state Senator Barry Keene of the neighboring 2nd District resigned. Thompson, whose hometown of St. Helena had shifted from the 4th district and into the 2nd district after reapportionment, decided to run in the 1993 special election for Keene's seat. He narrowly beat Republican businesswoman Margie Handley but won easy reelection in 1994.^[11]

Thompson was approached by national Democrats about running for Congress in 1996 against freshman Republican Frank Riggs, but he declined, believing his senate seniority would be more beneficial to his district than would his being a freshman congressman. In 1998, however, Thompson was due to be termed out of the state senate, and opted to run against Riggs after all. Riggs opted to retire, believing that he faced almost certain defeat given Thompson's name recognition and reputation.^[12] Thompson won handily. He has been reelected seven times with no substantive opposition, and has turned what was a swing district for most of the 1980s and 1990s into a fairly safe Democratic seat.

For his first seven terms, Thompson represented a district stretching from the far northern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area all the way to the North Coast. However, his district was renumbered as the 5th district after the 2010 census and was made somewhat more compact, losing most of its northern portion to the 2nd district.

U.S. House of Representatives

Tenure

Thompson is a Blue Dog Democrat and was previously a member of the New Democrat Coalition. He has been labeled as a "moderate Democratic leader".^[13] Thompson has voted with the Democratic party 91% of the time.^[14]

Abortion

Thompson is a Roman Catholic,^[4] and is pro-choice. In May 2004, he, along with 47 other Catholic Democratic Congressmembers, sent a letter to Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C. to dissuade him from refusing to administer Holy Communion to Catholic Congressmembers who practice pro-choice legislative voting.^[15] In February 2006, Thompson was one of 55 Democratic Representatives identifying as Catholic who signed a "Statement of Principles," which affirmed a commitment to their faith, but stating opposition to the Catholic doctrine on some issues. They stated that on those issues, such as abortion rights, they would 'follow their conscience' instead of the church's teachings.^[16] In response to the "Statement of Principles", the U.S. Catholic Bishops issued a "Statement on Responsibilities of Catholics in Public Life" that said, in part, "Catholic teaching calls all Catholics to work actively to restrain, restrict and bring to an end the destruction of unborn human life."^[17]

Health care

Thompson has been a supporter of a public option for healthcare. In 2009, Thompson wrote that "[b]y streamlining health care, reducing fraud and abuse, ending unnecessary testing, discouraging over-utilization, investing in smart reforms, and emphasizing preventive health care, we can significantly bring down the cost of health care."^[18]

Foreign policy

In late 2002, Thompson joined Democratic Reps. Jim McDermott of Washington and David Bonior of Michigan on a fact-finding trip to Iraq. During the trip, the lawmakers spoke to officials in Baghdad and residents in Basra. Presciently, they expressed skepticism about the Bush administration's claims that Saddam was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction.^[19]

On March 26, 2008, Muthanna Al-Hanooti, an official of a Michigan charity, was accused of underwriting three members of Congress to travel to Iraq, on behalf of Iraqi intelligence officials. McDermott's office was already organizing the trip when the charity offered to pay trip expenses. McDermott's spokesman stated that the charity was fully vetted by the U.S. government. He also stated that the congressmen obtained a license from the State Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control for the group to travel to Iraq.^[20]

2008 presidential election

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Thompson endorsed former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) for President; his district, however, was narrowly won by Barack Obama.

Environmental issues

The League of Conservation Voters publishes the National Environmental Scorecard for each session of Congress which rates how members voted on key energy and environmental issues. Mike Thompson was rated 92% (with 100% being the highest possible rating) for the 2nd session of the 110th Congress. His LCV Scorecard ratings have been at 90% or above for every session of Congress since 2001.

Thompson was endorsed for re-election in 2008 by the Humane USA PAC, a political action committee founded by leaders of animal rights groups such as The Humane Society of the United States, The Fund for Animals, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Doris Day Animal League, the Animal Welfare Institute, Farm Sanctuary and The Ark Trust.^[21]

Thompson has an 88% lifetime rating from the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, which endorsed him for re-election in 2008.^[22] This organization is the 501(c)(4) sister organization of Defenders of Wildlife.

The Sierra Club has endorsed Thompson for re-election in 2010.^[23]

In March 2012, Thompson, along with Assemblyman Jarred Huffman, voiced his opposition to a piece of water legislation that the House would be voting on, which he argued would "kill local jobs, ignore 20 years of established science and overturn a century of California water law."^[24]

Thompson voted for President Bush's Healthy Forests Initiative,^[25] which some environmentalists saw as a preference to the timber industry.^[26] He has disappointed some environmentalists with votes against limits to new commercial logging roads in Alaska's Tongass National Forest^[27] and against limits to hunting bears over bait.^[28][29] He was also one of only 30 Democrats to vote against an amendment to maintain roadless areas protected under the Roadless Rule.^[30] Thompson received an A+ rating for his 100% voting record from the American Wilderness Coalition in 2004.^[31]

While a California state senator, Thompson helped defeat legislation to halt the use of dogs in hunting of black bears^[32] and co-authored and voted for a bill (SB 28) to resume trophy hunting of cougars.^[33] SB 28 would have undone provisions of California Proposition 117 (the California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990) which had been approved by the voters in the statewide election held on June 5, 1990, that provided some protection for cougars.^[33] Thompson was the House sponsor of the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act, which was signed into law by President George W. Bush. Thompson was recognized as Federal Legislator of the Year by the hunting lobbyist group Safari Club International; he received the Hunting Heritage Award from the same group.^[34]

Thompson is an active member and former co-chair of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus,^[35][36] and is a lifelong hunter and fisherman.

Committee assignments

Mike Thompson in 2010

• Committee on Ways and Means
  • Subcommittee on Health
  • Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures
• Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
  • Subcommittee on Terrorism/HUMINT, Analysis and Counterintelligence
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

Caucuses

• Co-chair of the Congressional Wine Caucus

Electoral history

California State Senate 4th District Democratic Primary Election, 1990
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Thompson	52,161	56.16
Democratic	Charlie Cochran	40,726	43.84

California State Senate 4th District Election, 1990
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Thompson	125,573	47.67
Republican	Jim Nielsen*	123,066	46.72
Libertarian	Juanita Hendricks	9,398	3.57
Peace and Freedom	Irv Sotley	5,381	2.04

California State Senate 2nd District Election, 1994
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Thompson*	162,610	60.41
Republican	Frank McMichael	95,275	35.40
Peace and Freedom	Pamela Elizondo	11,289	4.19

California's 1st Congressional District House Democratic Primary Election, 1998
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Thompson	77,544	78.02
Democratic	Jim Hennefer	21,841	21.98

California's 1st Congressional District House Election, 1998^[37]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mike Thompson	121,713	61.84
	Republican	Mark C. Luce	64,692	32.87
	Libertarian	Emil P. Rossi	5,404	2.75
	Peace and Freedom	Ernest K. Jones, Jr.	4,996	2.54

California's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2000^[38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mike Thompson*	155,638	65.03
	Republican	Russel J. "Jim" Chase	66,987	27.99
	Natural Law	Cheryl Kreier	7,173	3.00
	Libertarian	Emil P. Rossi	6,376	2.66
	Reform	Pamela Elizondo	3,161	1.32

California's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2002^[39]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mike Thompson*	118,669	64.07
	Republican	Lawrence R. Wiesner	60,013	32.40
	Libertarian	Kevin Bastian	6,534	3.53

California's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2004^[40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mike Thompson*	189,366	66.92
	Republican	Lawrence R. Wiesner	79,970	28.26
	Green	Pamela Elizondo	13,635	4.82

California's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2006^[41]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mike Thompson*	144,409	66.23
	Republican	John W. Jones	63,194	28.98
	Green	Pamela Elizondo	6,899	3.16
	Peace and Freedom	Timothy J.Stock	3,503	1.61
	Independent	Carol Wolman	39 (write-in)	0.02

California's 1st Congressional District House Democratic Primary Election, 2008
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Thompson*	69,622	87.8
Democratic	Mitchell Clogg	9,752	12.2

California's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2008^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mike Thompson*	197,812	68.10
	Republican	Zane Starkewolf	67,853	23.36
	Green	Carol Wolman	24,793	8.54
	Green	Pamela Elizondo	14 (write-in)	0.01

California's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2010^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mike Thompson*	147,307	62.79
	Republican	Loren Hanks	72,803	31.03
	Green	Carol Wolman	8,486	3.62
	Libertarian	Mike Rodrigues	5,996	2.56

California's 5th Congressional District House Primary Election, 2012
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Thompson*	95,748	72.2
Republican	Randy Loftin	22,137	16.7
Republican	Stewart John Cilley	14,734	11.1

California's 5th Congressional District House Election, 2012^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mike Thompson*	202,872	74.5
	Republican	Randy Loftin	69,545	25.5

California's 5th Congressional District House Primary Election, 2014
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Thompson*	88,709	80.4
Independent	James Hinton	12,292	11.1
Independent	Douglas Van Raam	9,279	8.4

California's 5th Congressional District House Election, 2014
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Thompson*	129,613	75.7
Independent	James Hinton	41,535	24.3

California's 5th Congressional District House Primary Election, 2016
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Thompson*	124,634	65.7
Republican	Carlos Santamaria	36,430	19.2
Democratic	Nils Palsson	23,639	12.5
Democratic	Alex Poling	4,998	2.6

Personal life

He is married to Janet Thompson and has two sons Chris & Jon Thompson and two grandchildren. Chris is a captain for Cal Fire.

References

1. "Mike Thompson biodata". Project Vote Smart. One Common Ground. 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
2. Staff (2011). "Once a Soldier... Always a Soldier" (PDF). Legislative Agenda. Association of the United States Army. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
3. According to the State of California. California Birth Index, 1905-1995. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. Searchable at http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/39461
4. "Representative Michael C. 'Mike' Thompson (CA)". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
5. "Sweeping new gun laws proposed by influential liberal think tank". The Washington Post. January 12, 2013. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
6. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/%7Ebattle/reps/thompsonm.htm
7. "Thompson Honored for His Dedication to Veterans". Office of Congressman Mike Thompson. 2008-04-03. Archived from the original on 2008-07-30. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
8. "Is Nielsen fudging again?". Chico News & Review. 2008-04-17. Retrieved 2008-12-12.
9. "Semi-super Tuesday". Chico News & Review. 2008-05-29. Retrieved 2008-12-12.
10. "Statement of Vote - General Election November 6, 1990" (PDF). California Secretary of State. 1990-10-09. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-07-30. Retrieved 2008-12-12. Under "Fourth Senatorial District" on 40th page of this PDF file.
11. "Statement of Vote - November 8, 1994 General Election" (PDF). California Secretary of State. 1994-12-16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-07-30. Retrieved 2008-12-12. Under "2nd State Senate District" on 69th page of this PDF file.
12. Ken Rudin (1998-11-02). "Political Junkie". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2008-12-12.
13. "Rep. Michael "Mike" Thompson". GovTrack. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
14. "Mike Thompson (D)". The U.S. Congress Votes Database. Washington Post. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
15. "Legislators protest communion recommendation". CNN.com. 2004-05-21. Retrieved 2008-12-16.
16. "House Democrats Release Historic Catholic Statement of Principles". Office of Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. 2006-02-28. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
17. Cardinal William H. Keeler, Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, and Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio (2006-03-10). "Statement on Responsibilities of Catholics in Public Life". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved 2008-12-16.
18. Thompson, Mike (10 June 2009). "Health Care Can't Wait". Huffington Post. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
19. Matt Apuzzo (AP) (2008-03-26). "Prosecutors: Saddam Hussein's intelligence agency bankrolled McDermott's prewar trip to Iraq". HeraldNet. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
20. David Postman (2008-03-28). "The story behind McDermott's controversial Iraq trip". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
21. "Humane USA 2008 Endorsements". Washington, DC: Humane USA PAC. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
22. "DEefenders of Wildlife Action Fund announces 2008 endorsements". Washington, DC: Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
23. "2010 Endorsements". San Francisco, CA: Sierra Club. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
24. "GUEST OPINION: House bill would turn back environmental law clock 20 years". The Press Democrat.
25. "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 656". U.S. House of Representatives. 2003-11-21. Retrieved 2008-12-11. The vote on H.R. 1904.
26. "Transition talk: Interior motives". The Westerner. 2008-12-09. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
27. "Tongass Protections". League of Conservation Voters. 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
28. "Bear Baiting Amendment Defeated On House Floor". Steelheader.net. 2003-07-18. Retrieved 2008-12-19. The vote (Roll Call 382) was on an amendment to a Department of the Interior funding bill (H.AMDT.263 to H.R.2691) to prohibit any funding to administer any action related to the baiting of bears except to prevent or prohibit such activity. To display the THOMAS (Library of Congress) links, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/108search.html and search for the word "baiting". In the next screen, search for "2691". (2003-07-17). Retrieved on 2008-12-22. "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 382". U.S. House of Representatives. 2003-07-17. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
29. "Anti-Bear Hunting Bill Withdrawn from Resources Committee". Weekly News: Fishery News of the Great Lakes Basin. Great Lakes Sport Fishing Council. July 21, 2003. Retrieved 2008-12-17. Congress specifically and repeatedly has affirmed the states' rights to manage non-migratory wildlife, including on most federal lands except for National Parks. H.R. 1472 would have preempted these rights and removed science and professional wildlife management as a cornerstone of America's successful wildlife management program.
30. "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 149". U.S. House of Representatives. 2006-05-17. Retrieved 2008-12-12. The vote on H.R. 4200.
31. "Wild Card: Wilderness Report Card 2004" (PDF). Durango, CO & Washington, DC: American Wilderness Coalition. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
32. "Official California Legislative Information - Bill Information". California State Senate. 1993-05-25. Retrieved 2008-12-12. Regarding California SB 67.
33. "Official California Legislative Information - Bill Information". California State Senate. 1995-09-15. Retrieved 2008-12-12. Regarding California SB 28.
34. "SCI Recognize Federal Legislator and Heritage Award Winners at 2008 Convention". HuntingLife.com. 2008-01-28. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
35. "Power Trips - Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation". American Public Media. 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
36. "Rep. Mike Thompson biography". Congressional office of Rep. Mike Thompson. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
37. Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 3, 1998," (retrieved on July 30th, 2009).
38. Office of the California Secretary of State "United States Representative in Congress, (retrieved on July 29th, 2009).
39. Office of the California Secretary of State "United States Representative in Congress," (retrieved on July 29th, 2009).
40. Office of the California Secretary of State "United States Representative in Congress," (retrieved on July 29th, 2009).
41. Office of the California Secretary of State "United States Representative in Congress," (retrieved on July 29th, 2009).
42. Office of the California Secretary of State "United States Representative in Congress," (retrieved on July 29th, 2009).

External links

• Congressman Mike Thompson official U.S. House site
• Mike Thompson at DMOZ
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Profile at Project Vote Smart
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at The Library of Congress