John Thomas was born in the Maple City of Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, in Somerset County. He met his wife, Sara, while attending Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the Christmas Tree Capital: Indiana, Pennsylvania. Today, they call the Greatest City in the World—Kittanning, Pennsylvania—home.
Now, some people might disagree with that title. They might insist that their hometown is the greatest city in the world. John is perfectly fine with that. In fact, that’s exactly the kind of Pennsylvania he wants to help build—a Commonwealth where people are proud of their communities and believe there is no better place to raise a family than their own backyard.
John and Sara have been blessed with two daughters, three grandchildren, and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their fourth grandchild.
Outside of his professional life, John is deeply involved in serving his community. He is an elder at his church, where he teaches Sunday school, serves on the café team, participates in jail ministry, and ministers to residents in local nursing homes.
His commitment to service extends beyond his church as well. John serves on the board of his county’s Habitat for Humanity chapter and was elected constable for his neighborhood in 2021.
For nearly 20 years, John has dedicated his career to education. He has served students in traditional public schools, a private school, and cyber charter schools. Seeing education from so many different perspectives reinforced his long-held belief that no single school is the right fit for every child. Families deserve meaningful educational choices, and students thrive when parents have the freedom to choose what works best for them.
In 2024, John was the Libertarian candidate for the United States Senate, finishing third behind Dave McCormick and Bob Casey. While he did not win the election, he considers every opportunity to engage Pennsylvanians in thoughtful conversation about the future of the Commonwealth to be a victory in its own right.