Thomas Mankell "Tom" Rees (March 26, 1925 – December 9, 2003) was an American lawyer and politician who served six terms as a U.S. Representative from California from 1965 to 1977.

Tom Rees
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from California
In office
December 15, 1965 – January 3, 1977
Preceded byJames Roosevelt
Succeeded byAnthony Beilenson
Constituency26th district (1965–75)
23rd district (1975–77)
Member of the California Senate
from the 38th district
In office
January 7, 1963 - January 9, 1966[1]
Preceded byRichard B. Richards
Succeeded byClair Burgener
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 59th district
In office
January 3, 1955 – January 7, 1963
Preceded byCharles W. Lyon
Succeeded byAnthony Beilenson
Personal details
Born
Thomas Markell Rees

(1925-03-26)March 26, 1925
Los Angeles, California
DiedDecember 9, 2003(2003-12-09) (aged 78)
Santa Cruz, California
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materOccidental College (B.A. 1950)
University of California Law School (J.D. 1951)
Military service
Branch/service United States Army
Battles/warsWorld War II

Early life and career

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Born in Los Angeles, California, Rees was educated in local public schools. In 1950, he received a B.A. from Occidental College in Los Angeles, California. Beginning in 1951, he attended the University of California Law School. He served in the United States Army and was a lawyer in private practice.

He served as president of Compania del Pacifico, a Latin American export firm. He served as a member of the California State Assembly from 1955 to 1963, the California Senate from 1963 to 1966, and as a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1956, 1960, 1964, and 1968.

Congress

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Rees was elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-ninth Congress, by special election, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of James Roosevelt, and re-elected to the five succeeding Congresses (December 15, 1965 – January 3, 1977). He did not seek reelection in 1976.

Death

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After Congress, Rees lived in Scotts Valley, in Santa Cruz County. He served as president of Community Development and Management in San Jose, California. Rees died on December 9, 2003, in Santa Cruz, California.

Electoral history

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1965 special election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Thomas M. Rees 59.4
Republican Edward M. Marshall 40.6
Total votes {{{votes}}} 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1966[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Thomas M. Rees (incumbent) 103,289 62.3
Republican Irving Teichner 62,441 37.7
Total votes 165,730 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1968[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Thomas M. Rees (incumbent) 132,447 65.5
Republican Irving Teichner 63,393 31.3
Peace and Freedom Jack Weinberg 6,394 3.2
Total votes 202,234 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1970[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Thomas M. Rees (incumbent) 130,499 71.3
Republican Nathaniel Jay Friedman 47,260 25.8
Peace and Freedom Lewis B. McCammon 3,677 2.0
American Independent Howard E. Hallinan 1,639 0.9
Total votes 183,075 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1972[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Thomas M. Rees (incumbent) 160,932 68.6
Republican Philip Robert Rutta 65,473 27.9
Peace and Freedom Mike Timko 8,094 3.5
Total votes 234,499 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic hold
1974 election[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Thomas M. Rees 119,239 71.4%
Republican Jack E. Roberts 47,615 28.6%
Total votes 166,854 100.0%
Turnout  
Democratic hold

References

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  1. ^ "Thomas Rees Resignation letter". babelhathitrust.org.
  2. ^ 1965 special election results
  3. ^ 1966 election results
  4. ^ 1968 election results
  5. ^ 1970 election results
  6. ^ 1972 election results
  7. ^ "1974 election results" (PDF).
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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 26th congressional district

1965–1975
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 23rd congressional district

1975–1977
Succeeded by

  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress