Rodolphe Thomas
Rodolphe Thomas (born 8 August 1962) is a French politician and member of the MoDem.[1]
Rodolphe Thomas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Mayor of Hérouville-Saint-Clair | |
| Assumed office 18 June 2001 | |
| Preceded by | François Geindre |
| Member of the National Assembly for Calvados's 2nd constituency | |
| In office 2002–2007 | |
| Preceded by | Louis Mexandeau |
| Succeeded by | Laurence Dumont |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 August 1962 Falaise, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Political party | MoDem |
Born in Falaise, he moved to the new town of Hérouville-Saint-Clair in 1966, where his parents opened one of the first stores in the city.
After one term in the municipal council, sitting on the right-wing opposition benches, he won a surprise victory in the traditionally Socialist town of Hérouville-Saint-Clair in the 2001 local elections, mostly due to the division of the left. He became first vice-president of the Agglomeration community of Caen la Mer. In the 2002 legislative election, he defeated the Socialist incumbent in the Calvados's 2nd constituency as a Union for French Democracy (UDF) candidate.
He was politically close to Jean-Louis Borloo, but also a close supporter of UDF leader François Bayrou. However, he supported Nicolas Sarkozy in the second round of the 2007 presidential election and ran for re-election supported by the Presidential Majority and Bayrou's new party, the MoDem. He was, however, defeated by Laurence Dumont (PS).[2]
Following his defeat, he became a closer supporter of Bayrou and ran simultaneously for re-election as Mayor of Hérouville-Saint-Clair in the 2008 municipal elections but also against a PS incumbent in Caen's 6th canton in the cantonal elections. He was re-elected Mayor with over 53% of the votes by the first round, and won his cantonal race in Caen-6 in the runoff.
In 2009, he was selected to be the MoDem's candidate in Lower Normandy for the 2010 regional elections.