Donna Thomas

**LaDonna Brown** "**Donna**" **Thomas** (née **Brown**; born December 18, 1964) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the junior U.S. Senator from Maryland since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 6th district from 2013 to 2019, and as a member of the Maryland Senate from the 16th district from 2009 to 2013.

Thomas was born in Birmingham, Alabama, graduating from high school in 1983. She went on to move to Washington, D.C. to attend Georgetown University, graduating with her bachelor's degree in sociology in 1987, and later receiving her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1990. After finishing her education, Thomas settled in D.C. and worked as a criminal defense attorney, establishing her own law firm in 1997. Thomas left her law career in 2009, in order to begin her political career.

Thomas began her political career in 2008, being elected to the Maryland Senate representing the 16th district. She served for two-terms, before announcing her candidacy for U.S. House of Representatives in 2012, representing Maryland's 6th district. She went on to win the Democratic nomination, and later won the general election. Thomas served three-terms in the House of Representatives, before announcing her candidacy for United States Senate in 2017. She won the Democratic nomination and later easily won the general election, being sworn in to the Senate on January 3, 2019.

## Early life and family

Thomas was born on December 18, 1964 in Birmingham, Alabama to parents Quincy Brown (1937–1976) and Moniqué Leon (born 1940). Her parents split up shortly after her birth and were never married. Thomas's father later died when she was 11 years old due to problems with drug and alcohol addiction. Thomas was raised in the North Birmingham neighborhood primarily by her mother, who worked as a hairdresser, and her maternal grandparents LaVaughn (née *Harrison*; 1920–2006) and Sheldon Leon (1917–1989), who were domestic workers. The family struggled financially, and received government financial assistance. Thomas has an elder paternal half-sister, Keyshia, born  (1953-09-17) September 17, 1953 (age 70), and three younger paternal half-siblings: Dante (1968–1992), Keila, born  (1973-08-01) August 1, 1973 (age 50), and Aysha, born  (1975-03-14) March 14, 1975 (age 48). She has never been in contact with her half-siblings, and grew up as an only child.

## Education and law career

Thomas attended public schooling in Birmingham. She began high school in 1979, receiving admission to the magnet high school Ramsay High School, a public school for gifted students in Birmingham. Thomas was especially active in her high school; she captained her girls varsity basketball team, served as class president, and was elected homecoming queen in her senior year. Thomas graduated from high school in 1983 as her class's valedictorian.

After graduating from high school, Thomas moved to Washington, D.C. to attend Georgetown University. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in sociology in 1987, and went on to remain in D.C. to attend Georgetown University Law Center, graduating with her law degree in 1990. After finishing her education, Thomas began working as a public defender in D.C. She left the public sector after two years of experience, and began working as a private practice criminal defense attorney. She formed her own law firm in 1997, where she practiced criminal defense law. Thomas left her law career in 2009, in order to begin her political career.

## Political positions

*Main article: Political positions of Donna Thomas.*

## Personal life

Thomas began dating intellectual property lawyer Antonio Thomas in 1991. They became engaged in 1994, and married the following year. They have two children together: Christina, born  (2000-01-19) January 19, 2000 (age 24), and Eric, born  (2002-07-31) July 31, 2002 (age 21). The family resided in an apartment in the Shepherd Park neighborhood of Washington, D.C. until 2001, when they purchased a five-bedroom house in Potomac, Maryland, valued at $1.5 million. Thomas is a practicing Methodist, who attends church weekly.