# Mable Thomas
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{{Short description|American politician (born 1957)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Mable Thomas
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|11|8}}
| birth_place = [Atlanta, Georgia](/source/Atlanta%2C_Georgia), U.S.
| alma_mater = [Georgia State University](/source/Georgia_State_University) ([BS](/source/Bachelor_of_Science))
| party = [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States))
| office = Member of the [Georgia House of Representatives](/source/Georgia_House_of_Representatives)
| term_start1 = January 14, 2013
| term_end1 = January 11, 2021
| predecessor1 = [Kathy Ashe](/source/Kathy_Ashe)
| successor1 = [Mesha Mainor](/source/Mesha_Mainor)
| constituency1 = 56th district
| term_start2 = January 13, 2003
| term_end2 = January 12, 2009
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 = [Rashad Taylor](/source/Rashad_Taylor)
| constituency2 = 43rd district (2003–2005)
55th district (2005–2009)
| term_start3 = January 14, 1985
| term_end3 = January 11, 1993
| predecessor3 = [Grace Towns Hamilton](/source/Grace_Towns_Hamilton)
| successor3 =
| constituency3 = 31st district
| office4 = Member of the [Atlanta City Council](/source/Atlanta_City_Council)
At-large Post 1
| term_start4 = 1997
| term_end4 = January 7, 2002
| predecessor4 = ''Position established''
| successor4 = [Ceasar Mitchell](/source/Ceasar_Mitchell)
| image = Member of the Georgia House of Representatives Mable Thomas.jpg
}}
'''Mable Thomas'''[{{cite news|last=Campbell|first=Colin|date=July 5, 2001|title=Candidate feels 'able' to empower the people|page=B3|newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55661849/the-atlanta-constitution/|access-date=July 19, 2020}} {{free access}}] (born November 8, 1957) is an American politician who served as a member of the [Georgia House of Representatives](/source/Georgia_House_of_Representatives) for [District 56](/source/Georgia's_56th_House_of_Representatives_district). She previously represented [District 55](/source/Georgia's_55th_House_of_Representatives_district), which includes areas immediately west and southwest of [Downtown Atlanta](/source/Downtown_Atlanta) and areas west and northwest of [Midtown Atlanta](/source/Midtown_Atlanta).[[http://www1.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/house/communications/maps/HD055.pdf Georgia Legislature District 55 map, 2009] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110601012611/http://www1.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/house/communications/maps/HD055.pdf |date=2011-06-01 }}]
== Early life and education ==
The daughter of Bernard and Madie Thomas, Mable Thomas was born on November 8, 1957, and raised in the [English Avenue](/source/English_Avenue_and_Vine_City) neighborhood of [Atlanta](/source/Atlanta), [Georgia](/source/Georgia_(U.S._state)), the youngest of five children.[{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0O_gAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Thomas,+Mable%22+Who%27s+who+college|title=The World Who's who of Women|year=1990|publisher=Melrose Press |isbn=9780948875106}}][{{cite news|title=Funeral Notices|page=6-C|date=February 6, 1978|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55663215/the-atlanta-constitution/|newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution|access-date=July 19, 2020}}] Her father was a [boiler](/source/boiler) operator.[{{Cite web|title=Our Campaigns - Candidate - "Able" Mable Thomas|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=28566|access-date=2020-07-18|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}]
Thomas graduated from [Booker T. Washington High School](/source/Booker_T._Washington_High_School_(Atlanta%2C_Georgia)) in 1975.[[https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/31832/mable-thomas Mable Thomas' Biography]][{{Cite web|date=2019-03-08|title=From GSU student-athlete to House representative|url=https://georgiastatesignal.com/from-gsu-student-athlete-to-house-representative/|access-date=2020-07-19|website=The Signal|language=en-US}}]
==Career==
Thomas' political career started when she was chosen as a presidential delegate for candidate Jesse Jackson at the [1984 Democratic National Convention](/source/1984_Democratic_National_Convention).[{{cite news|last=Graham|first=Keith|title=Mable|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55660591/the-atlanta-constitution/|newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution|page=9-B|date=September 26, 1983|access-date=July 19, 2020}} {{free access}}] In the same year, she won a seat in the [Georgia House of Representatives](/source/Georgia_House_of_Representatives), defeating incumbent [Grace Towns Hamilton](/source/Grace_Towns_Hamilton) in the Democratic primary, thus becoming the youngest member of the [Georgia General Assembly](/source/Georgia_General_Assembly).[{{cite news|last=Graham|first=Keith|title=Able Mable Thomas wants to live up to her campaign label|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55660230/the-atlanta-constitution/|newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution|page=1-B|date=September 26, 1983|access-date=July 19, 2020}} {{free access}}][{{cite news|title=Georgia's Youngest State Legislator Honored|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55661541/the-atlanta-voice/|page=8|last=Dixon|first=Princella|newspaper=The Atlanta Voice|date=September 28, 1984|access-date=July 19, 2020}} {{Free access}}] She served four terms. In 1997, she launched a successful campaign for a seat on the [Atlanta City Council](/source/Atlanta_City_Council). In 2003, she returned to the Georgia House for six years.[{{cite news|title='Able' Mable returns|last=Ippolito|first=Milo|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55662431/the-atlanta-constitution/|date=August 29, 2002|newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution|page=JD1|access-date=July 19, 2020}}][[https://web.archive.org/web/20100626233807/http://www.ablemable.com/about.php "Able" Mable Thomas campaign website]][{{Cite web|title=Representative "Able" Mable Thomas|url=http://www.house.ga.gov/representatives/en-US/member.aspx?Member=224&Session=27|access-date=2020-07-18|website=www.house.ga.gov}}]
In 1992 and 2008, Thomas challenged [John Lewis](/source/John_Lewis) to represent {{ushr|GA|5}}.[[https://web.archive.org/web/20110530011649/http://www.atlantaprogressivenews.com/interspire/news/2011/05/27/state-rep-rashad-taylor-comes-out-of-the-closet.html "State Rep. Rashad Taylor Comes Out of the Closet", ''Atlanta Progressive News'', May 27, 2011]] On October 27, 2019, Thomas announced her candidacy for [United States Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) at the [SisterSong](/source/SisterSong) Let's Talk about Sex Reproductive Justice conference.[{{cite tweet|number=1188479191282520064|user=SisterSong_WOC|title=Reproductive justice movement mother, Rep. Mable Thomas just announced at #LTAS2019 that she is RUNNING FOR SENATE.… |date=October 27, 2019}}] In March 2020, Thomas announced she would not seek re-election.[{{Cite web|date=March 6, 2020|title=Two anti-LGBTQ lawmakers retiring from Georgia legislature|url=https://www.projectq.us/atlanta/two_anti_lgbtq_lawmakers_retiring_from_georgia_legislature|access-date=2020-07-19|website=Project Q|language=en}}] After the death of incumbent Congressman [John Lewis](/source/John_Lewis), Thomas was mentioned as a possible candidate to replace Lewis on the November general election ballot.[{{Cite web|title=The process of replacing Rep. John Lewis in the US House|url=https://www.11alive.com/article/news/politics/replacing-lewis/85-a65fdde1-7d3f-4b34-a3d0-2d7bdc1cba31|access-date=2020-07-19|website=11Alive.com|date=18 July 2020 |language=en-US}}] State Senator and State Democratic Party Chair [Nikema Williams](/source/Nikema_Williams) was eventually selected to succeed Lewis on the November ballot. Thomas was a candidate for the [special election](/source/2020_Georgia's_5th_congressional_district_special_election) to serve Lewis's full term in Congress, but did not advance to the December 2020 runoff election.[{{Cite web|last1=Bluestein|first1=Greg|publisher=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|title=Several prominent Democrats line up to succeed John Lewis in Congress|url=https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/several-prominent-democrats-line-up-to-succeed-john-lewis-in-congress/N4O3GZX4AJDQTFD55H446G5OAM/|access-date=2020-08-06|website=ajc|language=en}}]
== Personal life ==
Thomas is often referred to by the nickname "Able" or "Able Mable", which was coined by a colleague around 1984.[{{Cite web|title=Able Mable Thomas|url=https://www.bgca.org/about-us/alumni-hall-of-fame/able-mable-thomas|access-date=2020-07-19|website=www.bgca.org}}][{{Cite news|last1=Prabhu|first1=Maya T.|title=Retiring Georgia legislators take decades of knowledge with them|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/retiring-georgia-legislators-take-decades-knowledge-with-them/cblHN0ms04ZBE9xSZgrQEL/|access-date=2020-07-19|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|language=English}}] She later made it her legal middle name.