Tom Moss (Virginia)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Warren "Tom" Moss, Jr. (born October 3, 1928, in Norfolk, Virginia
) is an American politician, serving as the City Treasurer
of Norfolk, a post to which he was elected in 2001. Prior to that, he served 36 years as a Democratic
member of the Virginia House of Delegates
, and was its Speaker
1991–2000.
. He served in the United States Army
during the Korean War
period, attaining the rank of first lieutenant
. Afterward, he attended the University of Richmond School of Law
and set up a law office in his home town of Norfolk. He practiced law until his election as city treasurer in 2001.
, Moss was active in the 1960 presidential campaign of John F. Kennedy
.
of U.S. Senator
Harry Flood Byrd, Sr. Running under the campaign slogan "get Norfolk out of the Byrd cage," Moss won his first election.
In 1980, when Speaker John Warren Cooke
retired, House majority leader
A. L. Philpott
succeeded him and Moss was chosen as majority leader. Philpott, whose endorsement of Douglas Wilder's
1985 campaign for lieutenant governor
helped pave the way for his election as governor
in 1989, died of cancer in September 1991, shortly after announcing his retirement. Moss was elected Speaker on November 11, 1991.
Moss served one term as Speaker with a Democratic governor and state senate majority. Wilder was succeeded by two Republican governors, George Allen
and Jim Gilmore
, and the Senate passed into Republican hands in 1997. Democrats technically held a one-vote majority in the 1997-98 session; in fact the House was split 50-50, since the one independent member, Lacey Putney, caucused with the Republicans. Finally in 1999, Republicans won outright control of the House. Moss chose not to serve as minority leader
in the next session, ceding the job to the previous majority leader, C. Richard Cranwell
.
process following the 2000 census. Moss' House district, the 88th, was moved from Norfolk to another part of the state, and he was placed in the neighboring 89th district, a majority African-American district represented by an African-American, Jerrauld C. Jones. Moss chose instead to run for city treasurer, replacing the retiring Joseph T. Fitzpatrick, a former state senator and state Democratic Party chair. Moss won election with 56% of the vote.
Four years later, Moss faced an internal challenge for the Democratic nomination, where concerns were expressed about his age and health. Moss chose instead to run as an independent, winning the reelection with 45% of the vote in a four-way race with three African-American opponents.
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
) is an American politician, serving as the City Treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
of Norfolk, a post to which he was elected in 2001. Prior to that, he served 36 years as a 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...
member of the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
, and was its Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
1991–2000.
Early life
Moss received his bachelor's degree from the Virginia Polytechnic InstituteVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech , is a public land-grant university with the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia with other research and educational centers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and internationally.Founded in...
. He served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
period, attaining the rank of first lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
. Afterward, he attended the University of Richmond School of Law
University of Richmond School of Law
The University of Richmond School of Law , a school of the University of Richmond, is located in Richmond, Virginia...
and set up a law office in his home town of Norfolk. He practiced law until his election as city treasurer in 2001.
Political career
As a member of the Young Democratic Club of NorfolkYoung Democrats of America
The Young Democrats of America , founded in 1932, is the official youth arm of the Democratic Party of the United States, although it severed official ties with the Democratic National Committee following passage of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 and became an independent 527 group...
, Moss was active in the 1960 presidential campaign of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
.
House of Delegates
In 1965 Moss ran for the Virginia House of Delegates as part of a racially mixed coalition of Democrats opposed to the pro-segregation state Democratic political machinePolitical machine
A political machine is a political organization in which an authoritative boss or small group commands the support of a corps of supporters and businesses , who receive rewards for their efforts...
of U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Harry Flood Byrd, Sr. Running under the campaign slogan "get Norfolk out of the Byrd cage," Moss won his first election.
In 1980, when Speaker John Warren Cooke
John Warren Cooke
John Warren Cooke was an American politician and newspaper publisher. A Democrat, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates 1942–1979 and was its Speaker from 1968 until his retirement....
retired, House majority leader
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
A. L. Philpott
A. L. Philpott
Albert Lee 'A. L.' Philpott was an American politician of the Democratic Party. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates for 33 years starting in 1958, and was its Speaker from 1980 until his death....
succeeded him and Moss was chosen as majority leader. Philpott, whose endorsement of Douglas Wilder's
Douglas Wilder
Lawrence Douglas "Doug" Wilder is an American politician, the first African American to be elected as governor of Virginia, and the second to serve as governor of a U.S. state. Wilder served as the 66th Governor of Virginia from 1990 to 1994. When earlier elected as Lieutenant Governor, he was...
1985 campaign for lieutenant governor
Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor and Attorney General. The office is currently held by Republican William T. Bolling. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected...
helped pave the way for his election as governor
Governor of Virginia
The governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia....
in 1989, died of cancer in September 1991, shortly after announcing his retirement. Moss was elected Speaker on November 11, 1991.
Moss served one term as Speaker with a Democratic governor and state senate majority. Wilder was succeeded by two Republican governors, George Allen
George Allen (U.S. politician)
George Felix Allen is a former United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the son of former NFL head coach George Allen. Allen served Virginia in the state legislature, as the 67th Governor, and in both bodies of the U.S. Congress, winning election to the Senate in 2000...
and Jim Gilmore
Jim Gilmore
James Stuart "Jim" Gilmore III is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Virginia, former 68th Governor of Virginia, and a member of the Republican Party. A native Virginian, Gilmore studied at the University of Virginia, and then served in the U.S. Army as a counterintelligence agent...
, and the Senate passed into Republican hands in 1997. Democrats technically held a one-vote majority in the 1997-98 session; in fact the House was split 50-50, since the one independent member, Lacey Putney, caucused with the Republicans. Finally in 1999, Republicans won outright control of the House. Moss chose not to serve as minority leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
in the next session, ceding the job to the previous majority leader, C. Richard Cranwell
Richard Cranwell
Charles Richard Cranwell is an American lawyer and Democratic Party politician. He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates 1972–2001, and was its Democratic floor leader 1991–2001...
.
Post-House career
Republicans had complete control of the Virginia redistrictingRedistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
process following the 2000 census. Moss' House district, the 88th, was moved from Norfolk to another part of the state, and he was placed in the neighboring 89th district, a majority African-American district represented by an African-American, Jerrauld C. Jones. Moss chose instead to run for city treasurer, replacing the retiring Joseph T. Fitzpatrick, a former state senator and state Democratic Party chair. Moss won election with 56% of the vote.
Four years later, Moss faced an internal challenge for the Democratic nomination, where concerns were expressed about his age and health. Moss chose instead to run as an independent, winning the reelection with 45% of the vote in a four-way race with three African-American opponents.