Introduction
Roger D. Thomas (born December 13, 1950) is the Iowa State Representative from the 55th District. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1997 to 2001 in the 32nd District and since 2003 to2011 in the 24th District. He received his BS from Upper Iowa University.
As of September 2011, Thomas serves on several committees in the Iowa House - the Natural Resources, Veterans Affairs, and Ways and Means committees. He also serves as ranking member of the Economic Growth Committee and as a member of the Economic Development Authority Board. His prior political experience includes service as a trustee for Northeast Iowa Community College.
Electoral history
Thomas was first elected in 1996, defeating incumbent Republican Roger Halvorson. He left his House seat in 2001, in an unsuccessful bid for the Iowa Senate's 16th District, following incumbent Republican Lyle Zieman's retirement from the Senate. He lost the election to Republican Mark Zieman, the former senator's son. He was succeeded in the 32nd District by Republican Leigh Rekow. He contested the newly redrawn 24th District in 2003, defeating Rekow.
On March 13, 2014 Thomas announced he would not seek reelection to the Iowa House.
*incumbent
| Election | Political result | Candidate | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa House of Representatives elections, 1996 District 32nd Turnout: 11,690 | Democratic gain from Republican | Roger Thomas | Democratic | 6,264 | 53.6 | ||
| Roger A. Halvorson* | Republican | 5,424 | 46.4 | ||||
| Iowa House of Representatives elections, 1998 District 32 Turnout: 9,480 | Democratic hold | Roger Thomas* | Democratic | 5,905 | 62.3 | ||
| Neil Schwake | Republican | 3,575 | 37.7 | ||||
| Iowa Senate elections, 2000 District 16 Turnout: 24,673 | Republican hold | Mark Zieman | Republican | 13,847 | 56.1 | ||
| Roger Thomas | Democratic | 10,807 | 43.8 | ||||
| Election | Political result | Candidate | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa House of Representatives elections, 2002 District 24 Turnout: 10,199 | Democratic (newly redistricted) | Roger Thomas | Democratic | 5,649 | 55.4 | ||
| Leigh A. Rekow* | Republican | 4,548 | 44.6 | ||||
| Iowa House of Representatives elections, 2004 District 24 Turnout: 13,672 | Democratic hold | Roger Thomas* | Democratic | 7,563 | 55.3 | ||
| Gale Severson | Republican | 6,105 | 44.7 | ||||
| Iowa House of Representatives elections, 2006 District 24 | Democratic hold | Roger Thomas* | Democratic | unopposed | |||
| Iowa House of Representatives elections, 2008 District 24 | Democratic hold | Roger Thomas* | Democratic | unopposed | |||
| Iowa House of Representatives elections, 2010 District 24 Turnout: 10,685 | Democratic hold | Roger Thomas* | Democratic | 5,282 | 49.4 | ||
| Michael Breitbach | Republican | 5,160 | 48.3 | ||||