Rock Island Today

With the redrawing of Illinois State Senate district lines, Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms has thrown his hat into the ring as one of two Republican candidates for the newly formed 36th District. 

Thoms was first elected mayor of Rock Island in April 2017 and he won reelection in 2021. He is a fourth-generation Rock Island native, according to his campaign website, and spent 29 years rising through the ranks of his family’s business, Thoms-Proestler Co.

He began his career as a dockworker, and later held positions as an inventory controller, buyer, warehouse manager, vice president of operations and ultimately chief operations officer. He then sold the company after retiring and began constructing residential and commercial properties, including a golf course (Fyre Lake) and sleeping rooms in airports (Minute Suites), according to his website.

Thoms has served in a number of other administrative positions, including as president of the developmental organization Renaissance Rock Island, and several Rock Island boards, including the Boaters Advisory Board and the Stormwater Runoff Appeals Board.

In addition, he has served on other community boards, including the Trinity Health Foundation, Trinity Regional Health Systems, German-American Heritage Society, Illinois Quad City Chamber of Commerce, Family Museum of Arts & Science and Niabi Zoological Society.

He also has aided various community projects like RiverVision, school referendums, and fundraisers for Skip-A-Long Child Care, the Child Abuse Council and the Quad City Symphony.

Thoms recently received the endorsement of the Chicago Tribune in his bid for the Senate seat. The June 16 endorsement said, "We see Thoms as having the more apt background in helping western Illinois. Thoms wins our endorsement."

The District 36 seat was left open after incumbent Rep. Neil Anderson (R-Moline) was drawn out in the remapping. The district now includes portions of Rock Island, Knox, Henry, Warren, Mercer and McDonough counties, according to data provided by Zipdatamaps.com.

The district's major cities are Moline and Rock Island, although it also contains Galesburg, Monmouth and portions of Macomb.

Thoms will face Glen Evans Sr. of Rock Island in the June 28 Republican primary. The winner will face Mike Halpin, also of Rock Island, in the November general election. Halpin is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.