A. Doherty in the primary,[3] and followed that up with a victory over Republican Richard H. Clarke in December's general election.
[7] In March 1918, Thompson and his partner, J. M. Wilson, opened a restaurant in Nogales.
[8][9] In 1918 he ran for the Arizona State Senate seat from Santa Cruz County.
[10] He defeated the Republican incumbent, Ray Ferguson in the general election in November.
[11][12] In 1919, Thompson expanded his business interests when he purchased a cotton farm near Aztec.