Thomas M. "Tom" Leighton is an American

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...

. He served as the mayor of the city of

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Wilkes-Barre ( or ) is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Luzerne County. Located at the center of the Wyoming Valley in Northeastern Pennsylvania, it had a population of 44,328 in the 2020 census. It is the s ...

from 2004 to 2016. Mayor Leighton was the first mayor under the city's Home Rule Charter to be popularly elected to three consecutive terms.

Political career

Thomas Leighton is an American

. A

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

, he served as the mayor of the city of

from 2004 to 2016. Mayor Leighton was the first mayor under the city's Home Rule Charter to be popularly elected to three consecutive terms. Leighton defeated former city leader

Tom McGroarty Thomas McGroarty is an American Democratic Party politician who served as the mayor of the city of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania ...

in the Democratic Party primary election in 2003, partly on a platform to revitalize Wilkes-Barre's downtown sector. On June 9, 2005, Leighton unveiled his "I believe..." campaign for Wilkes-Barre,http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=local&id=3187818 which was intended to boost the city's spirits and rid residents of their cyncisim and negativity about the city. Construction is complete on a planned downtown 14-screen theatre complex and a two-floor Barnes & Noble bookstore. The movie theater opened in July 2006. A Barnes & Noble bookstore opened in early October 2006. New street lights have replaced worn out red lights in the Public Square and in parts of the downtown area.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leighton, Thomas M. Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Mayors of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania King's College (Pennsylvania) alumni Pennsylvania Democrats