Tom Houghton for State Senate
About Tom Houghton
Former State Rep. Tom Houghton was born and raised in Prospect Park, Delaware County, PA. When Tom was 10, his father abandoned him and his family and Tom’s mother was left to care for them. Earning $2.25 an hour and meager tips with no child support, she struggled to pay the bills and put food on the table. The Houghton’s sometimes went without electricity, once, for six months. Tom spent his entire childhood and teen years moving from one apartment to another.
Poverty never stood between Tom and him getting the most out of his life. As if by instinct, Tom seemed to always know that that meant getting an education. As hard as it is to believe, Tom never missed a day of school, from kindergarten through twelfth grade. He received a Bachelor’s degree from LaSalle University and his Juris Doctor from Widener. He had to borrow more than $100,000 in personal loans to finance his education.
After working his way through law school, Tom married his high school sweetheart Danelle and went into private practice. As they were just starting their lives together, they had to grapple with the loss of both of their mothers to cancer. In search of a fresh start, they began exploring the winding roads of Southern Chester County. “The sprawling farms and quiet meadows stole our hearts. We knew we were home.” In 1999, the couple settled in London Grove Township and Tom opened up a storefront for his law practice in West Grove.
Tom, with his running-mate Tim Nelson, were the first Democrats ever elected to London Grove’s Board of Supervisors in 2001. Tom became Vice-Chair immediately and Chairman of the Board in 2004. He was re-elected in November of 2007. He was also a four-year member of the Planning Commission, London Grove’s representative on the Executive Committee to Penn Dot’s Route 41 Commission, and is a long-time Board member of the White Clay Creek Watershed Association. Tom and Danelle have two children, Marley, 11, and Benjamin, 7, and served for a total of six years as Foster Parents with Chester County’s Children & Youth Services.
Tom ran for State Representative in his heavily Republican district against 24-year incumbent, former State Representative, Art Hershey in 2006 and was defeated narrowly in a district that previously had voted for Hershey with over 60% of the vote. In 2008, Houghton ran again, and became the first Democrat elected in the 13th District. During Tom’s first term in office, he served his constituents well, passing legislation, and fighting successfully to increase state education funding to reduce the property tax burden.
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TOM HOUGHTON FOR PA SENATE
113 E. Evergreen Street l West Grove, PA 19390 l O: (610) 345-0503 l C: (484) 238-6849
Paid for by "Taxpayers for Houghton"
