Thomason continued to practice law upon his moving to El Paso, in a law firm with Thomas Calloway Lea, Jr., and later J. G. McGrady and Eugene T. Edwards.[3] He was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1917 to 1921, serving as Speaker in 1920 and 1921.[1] Thomason served as the Mayor of El Paso from 1927 to 1930, and was elected to the 72nd United States Congress as a Democrat in 1930.[1] Thomason served from March 4, 1931 until his resignation on July 31, 1947, to take a seat on the federal bench.[1][2]
El Paso County Hospital District's University Medical Center, was named in his honor from 1963 until 2009.[4] In 2016 the United States courthouse in El Paso was renamed in his honor.[5]
Fraternity
Robert E. Thomason was a freemason and belonged to El Paso Lodge # 130 A.F. & A.M. He also belonged to El Maida Shrine and served as Illustrious Potentate.