Thomas Sawyer, an American politician who served Akron, Ohio, at all levels of government for almost to fifty years (August 15, 1945 – approximately May 23, 2023) was born in Akron, Ohio. He has held office as the mayor of Akron, the Ohio Senate, the Ohio House of Representatives, and the United States Congress in the past. He belonged to the Democratic Party.
Roy Ray, the Republican incumbent mayor of Akron, narrowly lost to Tom Sawyer in the November 1983 election. In more than 18 years, Sawyer was Akron’s first elected Democrat mayor. Since Sawyer defeated Ray in 1983, a Republican hasn’t held Akron’s mayorship. By outvoting Republican Robert Roush 71.5% to 28.5% in 2012, Sawyer won re-election to a complete second term.
Tom Sawyer (Ohio politician) cause of death
The Akron Beacon Journal reports that longtime Akron politician Tom Sawyer passed away at the age of 77 following a protracted illness. In his 40-year political career, the well-known Democrat held positions at the local, state, and federal levels, most notably that of mayor of Akron and U.S. Representative.
Sawyer, who was born in Akron in 1945, attended Buchtel High School before obtaining his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in arts from the University of Akron in 1968 and 1970, respectively. Before standing for the Ohio House of Representatives, where he served from 1977 to 1983, he first worked as an English teacher.