Tom Kindness
Encyclopedia
Thomas Norman Kindness (August 26, 1929 – January 8, 2004) was a member of the United States House of Representatives
representing Ohio
from January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1987.
Born in Knoxville, Tennessee
, Kindness graduated from Glendale High School
in Glendale, California
, in 1947. Kindness received his bachelor of arts degree
from the University of Maryland
in 1951 and his bachelor of laws degree from George Washington University
in 1953.
He was assistant counsel for paper company Champion International
, in Hamilton, Ohio
, from 1957 to 1973, and was elected to the city council
of Hamilton in 1964, serving until 1969. He served as mayor
of Hamilton from 1964 to 1967. He served in the Ohio House of Representatives
from 1971 to 1974, when he was elected to Congress from Ohio's eighth congressional district, defeating Democrat T. Edward Strinko.
Kindness was re-elected five times: defeating Democrats John W. Griffin
in 1976, Luella R. Schroeder in 1978, John W. Griffin again in 1980 and 1982, and John T. Francis in 1984.
In 1986, Kindness won the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate
, but he lost to incumbent John Glenn
. After this loss, Kindness stayed in Washington, D.C.
, and worked as a lobbyist. When Donald "Buz" Lukens, who had replaced Kindness as the 8th district's representative, was caught in a sex scandal
in 1989, Kindness attempted to win his old seat, opposing Lukens in the 1990 Republican primary
.
He entered a Republican primary battle that included Lukens, Union Township
trustee John Boehner
and lesser-known candidates.
Early polls gave Kindness a 60-point lead over the relatively obscure Boehner. But Boehner attacked Kindness's ethics, citing Kindness's votes for congressional pay raises and against limits on fees for speeches by congressmen. Boehner also depicted Kindness as a carpetbagger
who had abandoned his district for Washington. Despite Kindness's outspending him 5-1, Boehner won the nomination with 49 percent of the vote. Kindness finished with 32 percent and Lukens with 17 percent.
Kindness died in Devon
shire, England
at the age of 74.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
representing Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
from January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1987.
Born in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, Kindness graduated from Glendale High School
Glendale High School (Glendale, California)
Glendale High School is a high school located at 1440 Broadway Avenue East in Glendale, California. The school is the Flagship School of the Glendale Unified School District.-History:...
in Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
, in 1947. Kindness received his bachelor of arts degree
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
in 1951 and his bachelor of laws degree from George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
in 1953.
He was assistant counsel for paper company Champion International
Champion International Paper
Champion International Paper was a large paper and wood products producer. In 2000, the company was bought byInternational Paper. Champion had operated since the late 19th century in the USA and other countries....
, in Hamilton, Ohio
Hamilton, Ohio
Hamilton is a city in Butler County, southwestern Ohio, United States. The population was 62,447 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Butler County. The city is part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area....
, from 1957 to 1973, and was elected to the city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
of Hamilton in 1964, serving until 1969. He served as mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Hamilton from 1964 to 1967. He served in the Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
from 1971 to 1974, when he was elected to Congress from Ohio's eighth congressional district, defeating Democrat T. Edward Strinko.
Kindness was re-elected five times: defeating Democrats John W. Griffin
John W. Griffin
John William Griffin was an Ohio farmer and a perennial candidate over the last forty years for various local, state, and federal offices in Ohio. While he lost far more political races than he won, at the time of his death he was a duly-elected member of the Ohio State Board of Education...
in 1976, Luella R. Schroeder in 1978, John W. Griffin again in 1980 and 1982, and John T. Francis in 1984.
In 1986, Kindness won the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, but he lost to incumbent John Glenn
John Glenn
John Herschel Glenn, Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator who was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program as a member of NASA's original...
. After this loss, Kindness stayed in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and worked as a lobbyist. When Donald "Buz" Lukens, who had replaced Kindness as the 8th district's representative, was caught in a sex scandal
Scandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
in 1989, Kindness attempted to win his old seat, opposing Lukens in the 1990 Republican primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
.
He entered a Republican primary battle that included Lukens, Union Township
West Chester Township, Butler County, Ohio
West Chester Township, formerly known as Union Township, is a township located in the southeast corner of Butler County in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio, one of thirteen townships in the county. It is situated between Sharonville and Monroe, about 18 miles north of Cincinnati, and...
trustee John Boehner
John Boehner
John Andrew Boehner is the 61st and current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he is the U.S. Representative from , serving since 1991...
and lesser-known candidates.
Early polls gave Kindness a 60-point lead over the relatively obscure Boehner. But Boehner attacked Kindness's ethics, citing Kindness's votes for congressional pay raises and against limits on fees for speeches by congressmen. Boehner also depicted Kindness as a carpetbagger
Carpetbagger
Carpetbaggers was a pejorative term Southerners gave to Northerners who moved to the South during the Reconstruction era, between 1865 and 1877....
who had abandoned his district for Washington. Despite Kindness's outspending him 5-1, Boehner won the nomination with 49 percent of the vote. Kindness finished with 32 percent and Lukens with 17 percent.
Kindness died in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
shire, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
at the age of 74.
See also
- Election Results, U.S. Representative from Ohio, 8th District
- List of United States Representatives from Ohio