Changes

==A Democrat succeeds Thompson==

==A Democrat succeeds Thompson==

Thompson could not seek a third term as mayor. Republicans nominated Sydney Pyles to run in the 1975 general election. Democrats conducted a runoff primary between Buck Melton and the [[minister (Christianity)|minister]], Julius Caesar Hope, the first African American to have sought the  mayoralty in modern times. Melton, an easy winner over the Reverend Hope, then overwhelmed Pyles, 18,778 (68.1 percent) to 8,783 (31.9 percent).<ref>City of Macon, Election Statistics, Bonnie Smith, 1-478-784-9774</ref> A Republican elected to the city council that year, [[George Israel|George M. Israel, III]] (born 1949), would emerge four years later in 1979 as the second and thus far last Republican to have served as mayor of Macon. Israel served two terms, with his service concluding in 1987.<ref>List of Macon, Georgia, mayors</ref>

Thompson could not seek a third term as mayor. Republicans nominated Sydney Pyles to run in the 1975 general election. Democrats conducted a runoff primary between Buck Melton and the [[minister (Christianity)|minister]], Julius Caesar Hope, the first African American to have sought the  mayoralty in modern times. Melton, an easy winner over the Reverend Hope, then overwhelmed Pyles, 18,778 (68.1 percent) to 8,783 (31.9 percent).<ref>City of Macon, Election Statistics, Bonnie Smith, 1-478-784-9774</ref> A Republican elected to the city council that year, George M. Israel, III (born 1949), would emerge four years later in 1979 as the second and thus far last Republican to have served as mayor of Macon. Israel served two terms, with his service concluding in 1987.<ref>List of Macon, Georgia, mayors.</ref>

Nita Thompson had walked out of the marriage during the congressional campaign in 1972. In Thompson's words, "She got tired of the threats of violence, people throwing bricks at the car with her in it, the children not being able to go any place in peace, the police living in our house . . . She wanted me to get out of politics. I told her I would remain in it until I accomplished the things I set out to do. The day that I qualified for Congress, I came home, and she's never been back since."<ref>Buddy Moore, Thesis, pp. 102-103</ref> In 1975, Thompson hastily married then twenty-six-year-old Linda Duffey, but the union lasted only a few months. In 1976, he married the former Gloria Milligan.<ref>Randall Savage, "The Last Hours"," ''Macon Telegraph'', December 10, 1975, p. B1</ref>

Nita Thompson had walked out of the marriage during the congressional campaign in 1972. In Thompson's words, "She got tired of the threats of violence, people throwing bricks at the car with her in it, the children not being able to go any place in peace, the police living in our house . . . She wanted me to get out of politics. I told her I would remain in it until I accomplished the things I set out to do. The day that I qualified for Congress, I came home, and she's never been back since."<ref>Buddy Moore, Thesis, pp. 102-103</ref> In 1975, Thompson hastily married then twenty-six-year-old Linda Duffey, but the union lasted only a few months. In 1976, he married the former Gloria Milligan.<ref>Randall Savage, "The Last Hours," ''Macon Telegraph,'' December 10, 1975, p. B1.</ref>

==Thompson's accomplishments as mayor==

==Thompson's accomplishments as mayor==