Representative Thomas M. Barrett

Thomas Mark Barrett (born December 8, 1953) is an American diplomat and politician who served as the United States Ambassador to Luxembourg from 2022 to 2025. He previously served as the 44th Mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from 2004 until 2021, and as a U.S. Representative from Wisconsin’s 5th congressional district from 1993 to 2003. A member of the Democratic Party, Barrett has been a significant figure in Wisconsin politics for four decades.

Early Life and Education

Barrett was born on December 8, 1953, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is the oldest son of Thomas J. Barrett, a World War II veteran who earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for 30 missions over Germany as a navigator, and Gertrude Virginia Barrett. He grew up on Milwaukee’s west side and graduated from Marquette University High School. Barrett earned his Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1976 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1980. He helped put himself through college and law school by working on the Harley-Davidson assembly line.

Early Legal and Political Career

After law school, Barrett served as a law clerk for Judge Robert W. Warren on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin from 1980 to 1982. He later entered private practice and served as a bank examiner for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Barrett first ran for the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1982, losing his initial bid, but won election in 1984. He served two terms in the Assembly before winning a special election for the Wisconsin Senate in December 1989, where he served until 1993.

Congressional Career

In 1992, after U.S. Representative Jim Moody announced his intention to run for the Senate, Barrett successfully ran to succeed him. He was reelected four more times, representing Wisconsin’s 5th congressional district from 1993 to 2003. While in Congress, Barrett served on the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Government Reform Committee, the Financial Services Committee, the Ways and Means Committee, and the House Administration Committee. He worked to secure aid for flood remediation projects in his district and to modernize the Community Reinvestment Act. Barrett sponsored 37 bills and co-sponsored 1,345 bills during his congressional tenure.

Mayor of Milwaukee

After deciding not to seek reelection to Congress in 2002, Barrett was elected Mayor of Milwaukee in 2004, defeating Acting Mayor Marvin Pratt. He was reelected in 2008 with 79% of the vote, in 2012 with over 70%, in 2016 with 70%, and in 2020 with over 62%. During his tenure, Milwaukee saw billions of dollars in new downtown development, including major construction projects like the Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons. Barrett championed environmental sustainability through the creation of Milwaukee’s Office of Sustainability and served as Co-Chair of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities Initiative. He was also instrumental in Milwaukee’s successful bid to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

Gubernatorial Bids

Barrett ran for Governor of Wisconsin three times. In 2002, he finished second to Jim Doyle in the Democratic primary. In 2010, he won the Democratic nomination but lost the general election to Republican Scott Walker. In 2012, he again challenged Walker in a recall election but was defeated, with Walker becoming the first governor in U.S. history to survive a recall.

Ambassador to Luxembourg

On August 25, 2021, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Barrett as United States Ambassador to Luxembourg. He was confirmed by the Senate on December 16, 2021, and presented his credentials in Luxembourg on February 10, 2022. He served until January 2025.

Personal Life

Barrett and his wife Kris live in Milwaukee’s Washington Heights neighborhood, where they raised their four children. On August 15, 2009, Barrett was attacked outside the Wisconsin State Fair by a man wielding a pipe after he intervened to help a woman in distress. He was hospitalized and later required reconstructive surgery for his hand. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden both called to commend his actions.