Rick Thompson

{{short description|American politician}}

{{about|Rick Thompson, a West Virginia politician|other uses|Richard Thompson (disambiguation)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Rick Thompson

|office = Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates

|term_start = January 10, 2007

|term_end = June 15, 2013

|predecessor = Robert Kiss

|successor = Tim Miley

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|10|2}}

|birth_place = Louisa, Kentucky, U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Democratic

|spouse = Beth Chambers

|children = 5

|alma_mater = Marshall University
West Virginia University,
Morgantown

}}

Richard Thompson (born October 2, 1952) is a former Democratic member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 17th District since 2000. He served as Speaker of the House from January 2007 to June 2013. He earlier served as a Delegate from 1981 through 1983. He unsuccessfully ran for Governor of West Virginia in 2011, coming in second place behind acting Governor Earl Ray Tomblin. Thompson resigned from the House of Delegates in June 2013 after being appointed by Tomblin to serve as West Virginia Secretary of Veterans Assistance.[http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/WVa-House-Speaker-to-Step-Down-According-to-Sources--207692821.html Kinsey Chosen to Replace Thompson in House of Delegates] He resigned as the Assistant Secretary of Veteran Affairs to run for Wayne County Sheriff. Thompson in 2024 ran for, and was elected, Prosecuting Attorney of Wayne County{{Cite web |last=News |first=Wayne County |date=2025-01-01 |title=New Prosecuting Attorney Rick Thompson, Sheriff Eddie Bradshaw are sworn in |url=https://www.waynecountynews.com/news/new-prosecuting-attorney-rick-thompson-sheriff-eddie-bradshaw-are-sworn-in/article_e2c7ddd2-c19c-11ef-ab2d-e33da7c8d9ff.html |access-date=2025-06-02 |website=Wayne County News |language=en}}. He currently is serving as the Prosecuting Attorney of Wayne County WV.

Thompson holds degrees from Marshall University and West Virginia University College of Law.