Tom Sawyer

• Native Wichitan, Small Business Owner, 49 years old, Democrat
• Wichita State Graduate: Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, cum laude 1984
• Serving second tour of duty as State Representative from the 95th house district, originally serving from 1987 to 1998.
• Currently serving on the following legislative committees:
  • Appropriations
  • House Elections & Ethics Committee (Ranking Member) 
  • Education Budget sub-committee
  • Legislative Post-Audit Committee (Ranking Member) 
  • House Rules and Journal Committee, Vice-chair
  • Joint Committee on State and Tribal Relations
  • Special Select Committee on Contested Elections, Vice-chair
  • Council of State Governments Governing Board
• Former House Majority Leader (1991-1992), The only Wichitan selected since 1969.
• Former House Minority Party Leader (1993-1998)
• Sedgwick County Legislative Delegation Chair (2005-06)
• Democratic Party Nominee for Governor in 1998
• Member of the Visioneering Wichita Committee Task Force
• Former member of the United Methodist Urban Ministries Board of Directors
• Former member of the American Diabetes Association Legislative Committee (1992-1993)
• Citizen Participation Organization Council Member (1979-1987), C.P.O. Coordinating Board President, 1982
• City of Wichita Human Resources Board , 2nd Vice chair 1980-81
• Former Sedgwick County Official:
  • Sedgwick County Clerk 1984-1985
  • Chief Deputy County Clerk 1979-1984
• Named an Outstanding Young American 1982
• Member of West Side United Methodist Church
  • Church Council Chair 2002
  • Youth Group Sponsor 1999-2005
• Elected in 1999 and re-elected in 2001 to serve as State Chairman of his party

"Some play politics, but I'm not like that, Sawyer says, and his record in the legislature backs that up." -Wichita Eagle Editorial endorsement 10/25/2002