Thomas Gore was a Democratic politician. He was blind and served as a United States Senator from Oklahoma from 1907 until 1921 and from 1931 until 1937. He was the maternal grandfather of author Gore Vidal. Although said to be distantly related to Albert Gore, Sr. and former vice-president Al Gore there is no proven connection.

He became blind as a child through two separate accidents but did not give up his dream of becoming a senator. He moved to Oklahoma in 1901. In 1907, he was elected to the Senate as one of the first two senators from the new state of Oklahoma. He was re-elected in 1908 and 1914 but defeated in 1920. He was known as a member of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, who worked with Republicans such as Robert La Follette.

During the early stages of World War I, he authored a bill to encourage American citizens not to travel aboard merchant vessels of countries participating in the war. Though previously a strong supporter of President Woodrow Wilson, Gore opposed America's entry into World War I even after American involvement began. He unsuccessfully opposed providing manpower for the military by conscription, saying it would create "an army of conscripted slackers." This was the principal cause of Gore's defeat in the Democratic primary in 1920 by Congressman Scott Ferris, who was in turn defeated in the general election by Republican John W. Harreld. On domestic policy he was a supporter of the interests of farmers and native Americans.

Gore was re-elected to the Senate in 1930. When Franklin D. Roosevelt took office as President, Gore at first supported his New Deal policies but later feuded with him. In 1935, Gore helped lead the charge against funding the Works Progress Administration (WPA). In written response to constituents who favored of the WPA, he told them that their attitude "shows how the dole spoils the soul." After dictating these words, the blind senator was led to the Senate floor to cast the lone vote against the WPA.

After losing the 1936 Democratic primary to Congressman Joshua B. Lee, Gore retired from the Senate in January 1937. He practiced law in Washington, D.C., until his death on March 16, 1949. Gore was buried at Rosehill Cemetery, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, but was later reintered on July 19, 1949, in Fairlawn Cemetery, also in Oklahoma City.

A major road artery in Lawton, Oklahoma, Gore Boulevard, is named after him, as is the eastern Oklahoma village of Gore.