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==Reelection in 1971==

==Reelection in 1971==

In 1971, Thompson faced a Democratic opponent who was expected to give him a tough race: Bibb County Commissioner [[Emory Greene|F. Emory Greene]], a former member of the [[Georgia House of Representatives]]. In the primary, Greene defeated Bill Laite, who then sat out the general election campaign. Greene questioned Thompson's militant use of the police, the "shoot-to-kill" order during the 1970 racial unrest, and the nerve-gas matter. He also claimed that Thompson's campaign organization compensated Laithe for the remainder of his debts in return for neutrality in the general election campaigns. Greene said that Thompson must be defeated to avoid four more years of "radicalism, noise, confusion, and [[publicity]]-seeking maneuvers which leave the city standing still." <ref>Buddy Moore, Thesis, pp. 32-33</ref>

In 1971, Thompson faced a Democratic opponent who was expected to give him a tough race: Bibb County Commissioner F. Emory Greene, a former member of the [[Georgia House of Representatives]]. In the primary, Greene defeated Bill Laite, who then sat out the general election campaign. Greene questioned Thompson's militant use of the police, the "shoot-to-kill" order during the 1970 racial unrest, and the nerve-gas matter. He also claimed that Thompson's campaign organization compensated Laithe for the remainder of his debts in return for neutrality in the general election campaigns. Greene said that Thompson must be defeated to avoid four more years of "radicalism, noise, confusion, and publicity-seeking maneuvers which leave the city standing still." <ref>Buddy Moore, Thesis, pp. 32-33</ref>

Thompson defeated Greene 19,329 (58.2 percent) to 13,881 (41.8 percent), having received strong support once again from blue collar white voters.<ref>City of Macon, Election Statistics, Bonnie Smith, 1-478-784-9774</ref> Thompson polled a bare majority of affluent whites. Virtually all of the black voters sided with Greene despite what Thompson saw as his considerable assistance to the minority community.<ref>Moore, Thesis, p. 35</ref> Thompson's reelection as mayor came ten months after [[Jimmy Carter]], whom Thompson opposed, became Georgia's new Democratic governor.

Thompson defeated Greene 19,329 (58.2 percent) to 13,881 (41.8 percent), having received strong support once again from blue collar white voters.<ref>City of Macon, Election Statistics, Bonnie Smith, 1-478-784-9774</ref> Thompson polled a bare majority of affluent whites. Virtually all of the black voters sided with Greene despite what Thompson saw as his considerable assistance to the minority community.<ref>Moore, Thesis, p. 35</ref> Thompson's reelection as mayor came ten months after [[Jimmy Carter]], whom Thompson opposed, became Georgia's new Democratic governor.