Thomas Rhea
Encyclopedia
Thomas Stockdale Rhea was a Democratic
politician from the U.S. state
of Kentucky
. He served as Kentucky State Treasurer
in 1912 and was state highway commissioner in the administration of Governor
Ruby Laffoon
. Known as "The Sage of Russellville" or "The Gray Fox", Rhea was a powerful Democratic
political boss
in the state. He was an unsuccessful candidate for governor in 1935, losing to A. B. "Happy" Chandler
in the Democratic primary
.
on December 29, 1871. He was the son of Albert Gallatin and Jane (Stockdale) Rhea. His father Albert was a circuit court judge and served in both houses of the Kentucky General Assembly
, and his brother John Stockdale Rhea
served in the U.S. House of Representatives
. His grandfather, Charles Rhea, owned and edited the first newspaper in Logan County
.
Rhea obtained his early education in the area's public schools and at Bethel College
in Russellville. He began the practice of law in Logan County
. He was the president of Southern Deposit Bank and vice-president of the Bank of Russellville. In 1905, he was elected sheriff of Logan County. In January 1916, Rhea married Lillian Clark of Russellville. The couple had four children – Lillian Rhea Noe, Thomas Jr., Albert III, and Roland.
. From 1912 until his death, he was a delegate to every Democratic National Convention
and, as one of five floor leaders at the 1932 convention
in Chicago, was particularly instrumental in securing the delegates from the conservative Southern states
for liberal New York
native Franklin D. Roosevelt
.
During World War I
, Rhea served on the United States Munitions Board. He failed in a bid to become state auditor in 1915, and his term as treasurer expired in 1916. In 1919, he announced that he would run for governor, but later withdrew. In 1924, Governor William J. Fields
appointed him to the state workman's compensation board, where he served until 1927. Rhea served as campaign chairman for J. C. W. Beckham
in the 1927 gubernatorial race, but Beckham lost to Flem D. Sampson
. In 1928, he unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives
.
At the 1931 state Democratic convention, Rhea backed Madisonville
judge Ruby Laffoon as the party's nominee for Governor of Kentucky
and state senator J. Woodford Howard for Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky
. Laffoon easily won the gubernatorial nomination, but Howard lost the nomination for lieutenant governor to Happy Chandler, in part because Chandler received the backing of Rhea's political enemy, Ben Johnson
. Laffoon and Chandler won the election, and Laffoon removed Johnson as state highway commissioner, appointing Rhea to that position.
Laffoon backed Rhea as his successor in 1935. When Rhea and Laffoon traveled to Washington, D.C.
for a meeting with President
Franklin D. Roosevelt
, Lieutenant Governor Chandler was left as acting governor. Chandler called the General Assembly
into a special session to vote on a mandatory primary bill. Laffoon returned to the state and tried to invalidate the call, but being stymied by the state courts, agreed to a primary bill that required a runoff if no candidate received a majority. Laffoon believed that aging J. C. W. Beckham
would once again run against Rhea in the Democratic primary and that a double primary would wear him down.
Beckham did not run in the primary, however; Chandler did. Attacking Laffoon's administration, especially the sales tax he enacted, Chandler derided Rhea as "Sales Tax Tom" and promised to save the state from "Ruby, Rhea, and Ruin". Rhea brought in Earle C. Clements
to manage his campaign. Promising a business-like administration that would include fiscal reforms, Rhea charged that Chandler was "the Shadow Man" for Ben Johnson. Laffoon sent state troops into pro-Chandler Harlan County
, intimidating voters into voting for Rhea.
In the first round of balloting, Rhea achieved a 19,000-vote plurality over Chandler, but it was not enough to avoid a runoff. In the runoff, Chandler won by a vote of 260,573 to 234,124. After his primary loss, Rhea bolted the Democratic party and supported Republican
King Swope
for governor. In the general election, Chandler defeated Swope to win the governorship.
against Chandler ally Keen Johnson
in the 1939 gubernatorial election.
In 1941, Rhea was again elected sheriff of Logan County and became chair of the state sheriffs board. He continued his service as sheriff until 1945. He died at his home in Russellville on April 16, 1946. He was buried in Maple Grove Cemetery in Russellville. On the occasion of his death, an article in the Louisville Courier-Journal opined that "he was a figure whose like will not be seen again in Kentucky politics."
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. He served as Kentucky State Treasurer
Kentucky State Treasurer
The Kentucky State Treasurer is elected every 4 years. The treasurer, who can serve two terms, acts as the state's chief elected fiscal officer. The salary of the state treasurer is $110,000 a year...
in 1912 and was state highway commissioner in the administration of Governor
Governor of Kentucky
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of the executive branch of government in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Fifty-six men and one woman have served as Governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-election once...
Ruby Laffoon
Ruby Laffoon
Ruby Laffoon was a politician from the U.S. state of Kentucky. He was the state's 43rd governor, serving from 1931 to 1935. At age 17, Laffoon moved to Washington, D.C. to live with his uncle, U.S. Representative Polk Laffoon...
. Known as "The Sage of Russellville" or "The Gray Fox", Rhea was a powerful Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
political boss
Political boss
A boss, in politics, is a person who wields the power over a particular political region or constituency. Bosses may dictate voting patterns, control appointments, and wield considerable influence in other political processes. They do not necessarily hold public office themselves...
in the state. He was an unsuccessful candidate for governor in 1935, losing to A. B. "Happy" Chandler
Happy Chandler
Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler, Sr. was a politician from the US state of Kentucky. He represented the state in the U.S. Senate and served as its 44th and 49th governor. Aside from his political positions, he also served as the second Commissioner of Major League Baseball from 1945 to 1951 and...
in the Democratic primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
.
Early life
Thomas Rhea was born in Russellville, KentuckyRussellville, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,149 people, 3,064 households, and 1,973 families residing in the city. The population density was 672.1 people per square mile . There were 3,458 housing units at an average density of 325.1 per square mile...
on December 29, 1871. He was the son of Albert Gallatin and Jane (Stockdale) Rhea. His father Albert was a circuit court judge and served in both houses of the Kentucky General Assembly
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
, and his brother John Stockdale Rhea
John Stockdale Rhea
John Stockdale Rhea was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Russellville, Kentucky, Rhea pursued preparatory studies....
served in the U.S. House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. His grandfather, Charles Rhea, owned and edited the first newspaper in Logan County
Logan County, Kentucky
Logan County is a county located in the southwest area of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 26,573. Its county seat is Russellville...
.
Rhea obtained his early education in the area's public schools and at Bethel College
Bethel College (Kentucky)
Bethel College was a Baptist-affiliated college in Kentucky founded in 1854 and closed in 1964. It was a women's college throughout most of its history, though it became co-educational for its final years....
in Russellville. He began the practice of law in Logan County
Logan County, Kentucky
Logan County is a county located in the southwest area of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 26,573. Its county seat is Russellville...
. He was the president of Southern Deposit Bank and vice-president of the Bank of Russellville. In 1905, he was elected sheriff of Logan County. In January 1916, Rhea married Lillian Clark of Russellville. The couple had four children – Lillian Rhea Noe, Thomas Jr., Albert III, and Roland.
Political career
Rhea's political career began in 1912, with his election as state treasurerKentucky State Treasurer
The Kentucky State Treasurer is elected every 4 years. The treasurer, who can serve two terms, acts as the state's chief elected fiscal officer. The salary of the state treasurer is $110,000 a year...
. From 1912 until his death, he was a delegate to every Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
and, as one of five floor leaders at the 1932 convention
1932 Democratic National Convention
The 1932 Democratic National Convention was held in Chicago, Illinois from June 27 - July 2, 1932. The convention resulted in the nomination of Governor Franklin Roosevelt of New York for President and Speaker of the House John Nance Garner of Texas for Vice-President...
in Chicago, was particularly instrumental in securing the delegates from the conservative Southern states
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
for liberal New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
native Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Rhea served on the United States Munitions Board. He failed in a bid to become state auditor in 1915, and his term as treasurer expired in 1916. In 1919, he announced that he would run for governor, but later withdrew. In 1924, Governor William J. Fields
William J. Fields
William Jason Fields was a politician from the U.S. state of Kentucky. Known as "Honest Bill from Olive Hill", he represented Kentucky's Ninth District in the U.S...
appointed him to the state workman's compensation board, where he served until 1927. Rhea served as campaign chairman for J. C. W. Beckham
J. C. W. Beckham
John Crepps Wickliffe Beckham was the 35th Governor of Kentucky and a United States Senator from Kentucky...
in the 1927 gubernatorial race, but Beckham lost to Flem D. Sampson
Flem D. Sampson
Flemon Davis "Flem" Sampson was the 42nd Governor of Kentucky, serving from 1927 to 1931. He graduated from Valparaiso University in 1894, and opened a law practice in Barbourville, Kentucky. He formed a political alliance with future congressmen Caleb Powers and John Robsion, both prominent...
. In 1928, he unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
At the 1931 state Democratic convention, Rhea backed Madisonville
Madisonville, Kentucky
Madisonville is a city in Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States of the Western Coal Field region, located along US 41 and The Pennyrile Parkway. The population was 19,307 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hopkins County. The city was named in honor of U.S...
judge Ruby Laffoon as the party's nominee for Governor of Kentucky
Governor of Kentucky
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of the executive branch of government in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Fifty-six men and one woman have served as Governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-election once...
and state senator J. Woodford Howard for Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky
Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky
The office of lieutenant governor of Kentucky has existed under the last three of Kentucky's four constitutions, beginning in 1797. The lieutenant governor serves as governor of Kentucky under circumstances similar to the Vice President of the United States assuming the powers of the presidency...
. Laffoon easily won the gubernatorial nomination, but Howard lost the nomination for lieutenant governor to Happy Chandler, in part because Chandler received the backing of Rhea's political enemy, Ben Johnson
Ben Johnson (politician)
Ben Johnson was an American lawyer and politician; Democrat, United States House of Representatives from 4 March 1907 to 3 March 1927....
. Laffoon and Chandler won the election, and Laffoon removed Johnson as state highway commissioner, appointing Rhea to that position.
Laffoon backed Rhea as his successor in 1935. When Rhea and Laffoon traveled to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
for a meeting with President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, Lieutenant Governor Chandler was left as acting governor. Chandler called the General Assembly
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
into a special session to vote on a mandatory primary bill. Laffoon returned to the state and tried to invalidate the call, but being stymied by the state courts, agreed to a primary bill that required a runoff if no candidate received a majority. Laffoon believed that aging J. C. W. Beckham
J. C. W. Beckham
John Crepps Wickliffe Beckham was the 35th Governor of Kentucky and a United States Senator from Kentucky...
would once again run against Rhea in the Democratic primary and that a double primary would wear him down.
Beckham did not run in the primary, however; Chandler did. Attacking Laffoon's administration, especially the sales tax he enacted, Chandler derided Rhea as "Sales Tax Tom" and promised to save the state from "Ruby, Rhea, and Ruin". Rhea brought in Earle C. Clements
Earle C. Clements
Earle Chester Clements was a politician from the US state of Kentucky. He represented the state in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and was its 47th Governor, serving from 1947 to 1950...
to manage his campaign. Promising a business-like administration that would include fiscal reforms, Rhea charged that Chandler was "the Shadow Man" for Ben Johnson. Laffoon sent state troops into pro-Chandler Harlan County
Harlan County, Kentucky
Harlan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1819. As of 2000, the population was 33,200. Its county seat is Harlan...
, intimidating voters into voting for Rhea.
In the first round of balloting, Rhea achieved a 19,000-vote plurality over Chandler, but it was not enough to avoid a runoff. In the runoff, Chandler won by a vote of 260,573 to 234,124. After his primary loss, Rhea bolted the Democratic party and supported Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
King Swope
King Swope
King Swope was a United States Representative from Kentucky. He was born in Danville, Kentucky. He attended the common schools and was graduated from Centre College, Danville, Kentucky in 1914 and from the law department of the University of Kentucky at Lexington in 1916...
for governor. In the general election, Chandler defeated Swope to win the governorship.
Later life and death
Rhea became a mentor for his campaign manager, Earle Clements, who led an anti-Chandler faction of the Democratic Party for the next two decades. When Chandler challenged incumbent senator Alben Barkley in 1938, both Rhea and Clements backed Barkley. Rhea also supported John Y. Brown, Sr.John Y. Brown, Sr.
John Young Brown, Sr. was a state representative for nearly three decades, serving one term as speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives and as majority floor leader during the term of Gov. Edward T. Breathitt. A Democrat, he was elected to one term in the U.S...
against Chandler ally Keen Johnson
Keen Johnson
Keen Johnson was the 45th Governor of Kentucky, serving from 1939 to 1943. He remains the only journalist to have served in that capacity. After serving in World War I, Johnson purchased and edited the Elizabethtown Mirror...
in the 1939 gubernatorial election.
In 1941, Rhea was again elected sheriff of Logan County and became chair of the state sheriffs board. He continued his service as sheriff until 1945. He died at his home in Russellville on April 16, 1946. He was buried in Maple Grove Cemetery in Russellville. On the occasion of his death, an article in the Louisville Courier-Journal opined that "he was a figure whose like will not be seen again in Kentucky politics."