Michael Thompson

Democrat Representative of California's 4th district

Representative
California, district 1
January 6, 1999 - January 3, 2001
Representative
California, district 1
January 3, 2001 - January 3, 2003
Representative
California, district 1
January 7, 2003 - January 3, 2005
Representative
California, district 1
January 4, 2005 - January 3, 2007
Representative
California, district 1
January 4, 2007 - January 3, 2009
Representative
California, district 1
January 6, 2009 - January 3, 2011
Representative
California, district 1
January 5, 2011 - January 3, 2013
Representative
California, district 5
January 3, 2013 - January 3, 2015
Representative
California, district 5
January 6, 2015 - January 3, 2017
Representative
California, district 5
January 3, 2017 - January 3, 2019
Representative
California, district 5
January 3, 2019 - January 3, 2021
Representative
California, district 5
January 3, 2021 - January 3, 2023
Representative
California, district 4
January 3, 2023 - January 3, 2025

202-225-3311

@RepThompson

mikethompson.house.gov

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Congresses Served

House Terms

January 24, 1951 (73 years old)

Birthday

Has been serving as a U.S. representative since 1999, initially representing California’s 1st congressional district, then the 5th, and currently the 4th.
Chairs the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.
Born and raised in California, with English, Italian, and Swiss heritage.
Served in Vietnam with the United States Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade and received several military honors.
Owned a vineyard and worked as a maintenance supervisor before entering politics.
Taught Public Administration and State Government at San Francisco State University and California State University, Chico.
Served as an aide to Jackie Speier and was a member of the California State Senate before his tenure in the House.
Initially elected to the California State Senate in 1990, overcoming an incumbent in a closely contested race.
Declined to run for Congress in 1996, citing the value of his state Senate seniority, but chose to run in 1998 when he was termed out of the state Senate.
Member of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition but has voted in line with President Joe Biden’s stated position 100% of the time as of October 2021.
Roman Catholic and pro-choice, has opposed efforts to deny Holy Communion to Catholic members who support pro-choice legislation.
Proposed tougher penalties for marijuana growers operating on trespassed land in 2015.
Has made votes that disappointed some environmentalists, such as supporting President George W. Bush’s Healthy Forests Initiative and voting against limits to new commercial logging roads in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest.
Voiced opposition to a piece of water legislation in 2012 that he argued would harm local jobs and overturn established California water law.
Expressed skepticism about the Bush administration’s claims regarding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq during a fact-finding trip in 2002.
Supported a public option for health insurance and voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010.
Holds committee assignments in the Committee on Ways and Means, including the Subcommittee on Health and as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Tax.
Co-chairs the Congressional Wine Caucus and is a member of several other caucuses, including the Congressional Arts Caucus and the Climate Solutions Caucus.
Married to Janet Thompson, with whom he shares a passion for cooking and hosting fundraisers benefiting local nonprofits and his campaigns, often sponsored by local Napa Valley wineries.