Buzz Thomas emerged onto the political scene in 1996. During his tenure as a State Representative, Thomas was unanimously elected the House Democratic Leader, where he served as one of the youngest legislative leaders in Michigan history.

After serving in the House for six years, Thomas was elected to the Michigan Senate in 2002 and reelected in 2006. Thomas was recently chosen to serve as the Senate Democratic Floor Leader, making him the only African-American in Michigan with a leadership position and one of few Michigan legislators to have held leadership positions in both the House and Senate.

Called "A Rising Star" by the Detroit News, one of Michigan's five "Key Technology Leaders" by the Detroit Free Press, and "Most Dedicated Detroiter" and "Best Local Politician" by Real Detroit Magazine, State Senator Buzz Thomas is known not only as a political force but also as a dynamic leader.

During his 12 years serving in the state legislature, Thomas has become an established leader in the fields of energy and technology, health policy, and urban development. Thomas is the ranking Democrat on the Economic Development and Regulatory Reform Committee and also serves on the Homeland Security and Emerging Technologies Committee and on the Energy Policy Committee.