| Birthname: | Thomas Joseph Tauke |
| State: | Iowa |
| District: | 2nd |
| Party: | Republican |
| Term Start: | January 3, 1979 |
| Term End: | January 3, 1991 |
| Preceded: | Mike Blouin |
| Succeeded: | Jim Nussle |
| State House2: | Iowa |
| District2: | 20th |
| Term Start2: | January 13, 1975 |
| Term End2: | January 2, 1979 |
| Predecessor2: | Robert M. Carr |
| Successor2: | Michael W. Connolly |
| Birth Place: | Dubuque, Iowa, U.S. |
| Birth Date: | October 11, 1950 |
| Spouse: | Beverly Tauke |
| Children: | 2 |
| Education: | Loras College (BA) University of Iowa (JD) |
Thomas Joseph Tauke (born October 11, 1950) is an American politician, lawyer, and corporate executive from Iowa. He is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, serving six terms from 1979 to 1991.
Tauke's undergraduate degree was earned at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, and his Juris Doctor degree was earned at the University of Iowa College of Law in 1974.
Prior to entering the House, he had served as a lawyer. He was also a two-term member of the Iowa House of Representatives from 1975 to 1979.
Tauke represented the northeast corner of the state of Iowa (2nd district) as a Republican from 1979 to 1991, entering Congress as one of the youngest members. Tauke left active politics in 1991 following an unsuccessful bid to unseat U.S. Senator Tom Harkin. http://www.uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=1990&fips=19&f=0&off=3&elect=0 Jim Nussle succeeded him as the representative for northeast Iowa.
From 1991 to 2013 he served as executive vice president for public affairs, policy and communications of Verizon.[1] He has made recent news with his statements in opposition to the Net Neutrality Bill, which has been a recent source of debate among internet users. As a spokesman for Verizon, one of the main opponents of the bill, Tauke has expressed his discontent with Net Neutrality.
Since retiring from Verizon he has served on many boards and committees (both non-profit and for-profit) and is past chair of the board of regents of Loras College and the Washington Center.[2] [3]
He currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia, with his wife Beverly and children Joseph and Elizabeth. He serves on the board of directors of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.[4]