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In 2002 he was elected to the
Michigan Senate and re-elected in 2006. In 2007, his colleagues once again elected him to a leadership position, as the Senate Democratic Floor Leader. He is one of the few Michigan legislators to have held leadership positions in both the Michigan House and Senate.
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Thomas was born in
Detroit in 1969 and is a graduate of Detroit Country Day School and the University of Pennsylvania . Before becoming an elected official he worked as a homebuilder in metro Detroit, where he was Construction Manager for Parkside Building Company and Avis Tech Park partners,
244:, located in northwest Detroit. He served in the House for six years. In 2002, he was elected by his House colleagues as the House Democratic Leader, one of the youngest members ever elected to that position and only the second African American elected as a House leader.
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Buzz Thomas was the ranking
Democrat on the Economic Development and Regulatory Reform Committee. He also served on the Homeland Security and Emerging Technologies Committee and on the Energy Policy Committee.
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and
Hotline, and an "Under-40 Political 'Buzz' Saw" by the Michigan Front Page. He has received awards and recognition from over two dozen community groups, publications, and organizations.
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managing both commercial renovations and single-family, residential construction. He also held senior positions with US Representatives
Barbara Rose Collins (MI) and Bob Carr (MI).
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beginning in 2003 and served as the
Democratic Floor Leader until 2011 when he reached his two term limit. His district is completely located in the city of
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Senator Thomas received many recognitions for his service, including being named one of
Michigan’s five “Key Technology Leaders” by the
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and includes portions of northwest, east, central, and southwest
Detroit. Previously he was a member of the
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In 1996, one hundred and four years after his great grand uncle,
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2002 Election for the
Michigan State Senate - 4th District
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2006 Election for the
Michigan State Senate - 4th District
187:(born January 28, 1969) is a politician from the
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497:Project Vote Smart - Senator Samuel Thomas (MI)
572:African-American state legislators in Michigan
96:Michigan House of Representatives
115:January 1, 1997 – December 31, 2002
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475:"Thomas voted new House minority leader"
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240:. He represented the
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185:Samuel 'Buzz' Thomas
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381:Martin Royster (R)
215:from 1997 to 2002.
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