Thomas Dixon (politician)


Thomas Alan Dixon is an American pastor and political activist. Born in Chicago, he entered the U.S. Navy and worked several jobs before serving time in prison. Following his release, he became a prominent political activist and was the Democratic nominee in the 2016 United States Senate election in South Carolina.

Biography

Dixon grew up in the housing projects of Chicago's South Side. He began dealing drugs and using them himself at the age of 15. In 1983, Dixon joined the United States Navy, serving as a hospital corpsman and surgical technician. He served in the Navy for five years before being honorably discharged due to multiple failed drug tests. After being discharged, Dixon worked in several fields, including as a loan officer and for the United States Census Bureau. In 1997, his wife separated from him due to his addiction.
In 1999, Dixon was arrested for breach of trust; he served eight months in the Berkeley County Detention Center and two years in prison. After being released in 2001, he gave up drugs and alcohol, reunited with his wife, and began work as a restaurant cook before being laid off in 2011. Dixon later worked at a Walmart deli during the 2012 Christmas season, but was not recalled to regular employment because of his criminal arrest record from 12 years earlier.
Dixon co-founded an activist group known as The Coalition - People United To Take Back Our Community. Dixon founded the Summerville Christian Fellowship, and pastored it from 2005 until 2012. In 2017, Dixon was elected to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence national Board of Directors and, in 2018, he was awarded the Wiley A. Branton Award by the National Bar Association for his work to end gun violence.

U.S. Senate campaign

In February 2016, Dixon declared his intent to run in the United States Senate election in South Carolina, 2016. He was unopposed in the Democratic primary and was also nominated by the Green Party. Dixon lost in the general election to incumbent Republican Senator Tim Scott, and he received 37% of the vote, coming in second place out of four candidates.

Mayoral campaign

Dixon ran for Mayor of North Charleston, South Carolina in 2019. He lost the election.

Political positions

Dixon supports quality public education, wages that match the current cost of living, quality accessible housing, universal healthcare and protection of our natural resources, as well as ending gun violence, over-aggressive policing and racial profiling.

Electoral history

Personal life

Dixon and his wife, Vanessa, have two children: Jason and Jasmine.