Changes

==Election as Macon mayor, 1967==

==Election as Macon mayor, 1967==

Thompson was named one of "Georgia's Five Outstanding Young Men" by the state [[Jaycees]], of which he was an active member. Members of the organization were believed to have played some role in Thompson's initial political success.<ref>http://www.geocities.com/macon_jaycees/history.htm</ref>

Thompson was named one of "Georgia's Five Outstanding Young Men" by the state Jaycees, of which he was an active member. Members of the organization were believed to have played some role in Thompson's initial political success.<ref>http://www.geocities.com/macon_jaycees/history.htm</ref>

Though Thompson had in 1964 supported [[Barry Goldwater]] for the presidency over [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], he did not declare himself a Republican until he ran in the first ever GOP primary for mayor in 1967. His intraparty opponent, Royce F. Hobbs, was an official at Mercer University and the favorite of the party establishment. Thompson polled more than 7,000 votes, compared to barely 1,300 for Hobbs. Thompson then faced incumbent Mayor Merritt, who had initially encouraged him to run for the city council and with whom he had quarreled as an alderman. Thompson's legitimacy as a candidate was enhanced by open endorsements from former President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], [[Senate Minority Leader]] [[Everett Dirksen]] of [[Illinois]], and then [[Governor]] [[Claude Kirk|Claude Roy Kirk, Jr.]], of [[Florida]]. Thompson used the slogan "Make a Change for Progress" and called Merritt a "do-nothing mayor" who engaged in "bossism" and "machine politics".<ref>''Macon Telegraph'', October 28, 1967, p. 4A; November 5, 1967, p. A1; Williams, "What Makes Ronnie Run," p. 96.</ref> He called Merritt "a desperate man who will do anything to stay in office" and a "flip-flopper like his ideal, [[Lyndon Johnson]]."<ref>''Macon Telegraph,'' November 2, 1967, p. A23.</ref> When Merritt reminded voters that he had served on Eisenhower's staff during [[World War II]], Thompson replied: "It is true that President Eisenhower doesn't know me. [But] that's the very reason that [he] has publicly endorsed me, because he does know Mayor Merritt."<ref>Moore, Thesis, p. 22.</ref>

Though Thompson had in 1964 supported [[Barry Goldwater]] for the presidency over [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], he did not declare himself a Republican until he ran in the first ever GOP primary for mayor in 1967. His intraparty opponent, Royce F. Hobbs, was an official at Mercer University and the favorite of the party establishment. Thompson polled more than 7,000 votes, compared to barely 1,300 for Hobbs. Thompson then faced incumbent Mayor Merritt, who had initially encouraged him to run for the city council and with whom he had quarreled as an alderman. Thompson's legitimacy as a candidate was enhanced by open endorsements from former President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], [[Senate Minority Leader]] [[Everett Dirksen]] of [[Illinois]], and then [[Governor]] [[Claude Kirk|Claude Roy Kirk, Jr.]], of [[Florida]]. Thompson used the slogan "Make a Change for Progress" and called Merritt a "do-nothing mayor" who engaged in "bossism" and "machine politics".<ref>''Macon Telegraph'', October 28, 1967, p. 4A; November 5, 1967, p. A1; Williams, "What Makes Ronnie Run," p. 96.</ref> He called Merritt "a desperate man who will do anything to stay in office" and a "flip-flopper like his ideal, [[Lyndon Johnson]]."<ref>''Macon Telegraph,'' November 2, 1967, p. A23.</ref> When Merritt reminded voters that he had served on Eisenhower's staff during [[World War II]], Thompson replied: "It is true that President Eisenhower doesn't know me. [But] that's the very reason that [he] has publicly endorsed me, because he does know Mayor Merritt."<ref>Moore, Thesis, p. 22.</ref>