Tom Letson is a Democratic

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 member of 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....

, representing the 64th district since his election in 2006.

Life and career

Letson was born in Columbus, but shortly after his birth the family moved back to the Warren, Ohio area. He attended Champion Local Schools, graduating in 1970 and then attended St. Bonaventure University

St. Bonaventure University

St. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....

, graduating from Kent State University

Kent State University

Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...

 in 1983 with a BA. Tom enrolled in the University of Akron

University of Akron

The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...

 School of Law and received his JD

Juris Doctor

Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...

 in 1988. At the same time, Letson served a machinist apprenticeship, becoming a Journeyman while working at Copperweld Steel Corp.

After being sworn into the legal profession by his former employer, Judge Robert A. Nader, Tom joined the law firm founded by his father and uncle. Letson, Griffith, Woodall & Lavelle is a major presence in the Trumbull County legal scene.

Judge Nader later swore Tom into the House for Letson's first term in December 2006. Nader held that legislative seat until 1983 when he returned to Warren to become a Common Pleas judge.

Letson is married to the former Debra J. Whaley. They reside in Warren, Ohio, with one daughter.

Ohio House of Representatives

Letson defeated one-term incumbent Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 Randy Law with 54.5% of the vote in 2006. He was re-elected in 2008, receiving 67.5% of the vote.

In 2010, Letson defeated Republican Albert Haberstroh with 62.57% of the vote to take a third term. Currently he is serving on the committees of Insurance and its Subcommittee on Workers' Compensation, Judiciary and Ethics, State Government and Elections and its Subcommittee on Redistricting (as ranking member), and Ways and Means (as ranking member).

Policies and Positions

Letson is currently working on multiple pieces of legislation, including allowing the City of Warren to create a larger entertainment district. Community leaders in Warren feel that this will help revitalize its downtown area. He has also sponsored legislation to increase assistance for children with dyslexia in our schools.

Letson, as ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee, has remained skeptical of the actual benefit of providing more tax cuts to large businesses. He has stated that the state first needs to do more to determine whether its current tax credits are creating jobs, "rather than throwing money away - money that is currently being used to help local governments and this state's most vulnerable populations."

External links

• The Ohio House of Representatives: Rep. Tom Letson (D-Warren) official site
• Project Vote Smart - Rep. Tom Letson
• Follow the Money - Tom Letson
  • 2006 campaign contributions