Senator Reginald Thomas

Reginald Thomas, born on May 20, 1953, is an American politician from the state of Kentucky. He is a member of the Democratic Party and currently serves as the minority caucus chair in the Kentucky Senate.

Thomas’ election in 2013 marked a significant milestone as it was the first time that two African Americans served in the Kentucky Senate concurrently. This achievement was further amplified by the fact that Thomas was the first African American to represent Lexington in the Kentucky Senate, representing a majority white district (District 13).

Before his political career, Thomas pursued a career in law. He earned an A.B. degree from Dartmouth College in 1975 and a J.D. degree from Harvard Law School in 1978. He is an attorney and a law professor, contributing his expertise to the field of law in addition to his political endeavors.

In 2017, Thomas announced his intention to challenge Representative Andy Barr in Kentucky’s 6th congressional district during the 2018 midterm elections. Although he lost the Democratic primary to Amy McGrath, who then lost the general election to Barr, his campaign demonstrated his commitment to public service and his dedication to the people of Kentucky.

Thomas is also a member of several committees and caucuses, including the House Session Standing Committee, Senate Session Standing Committee, Committee on Committees (S), Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor (S), Licensing & Occupations (S), Rules (S), Education (S), BR Sub. on Gen. Govt., Finance & Public Protection (S), Interim Joint Committee Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations, Economic Development & Workforce Investment, Education, BR Sub. on Gen. Govt., Finance, Personnel & Public Ret., Tourism, Small Business, and Information Technology.

In addition to his political and legal careers, Thomas is also a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. He was part of the Leadership Kentucky Inaugural Class in 1985 and was inducted into the Bryan Station High School Hall of Fame in its inaugural class in 1992. In 2019, he was awarded the Citizen-Lawyer Award by the Fayette County Bar Association.