John R. Smith (politician, born 1945)

John R. Smith (born December 29, 1945) is a politician from Leesville, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate from District 30, which encompasses Vernon, Beauregard, and Calcasieu parishes in western Louisiana.^[3]

In 2010, Smith switched from Democratic to Republican party affiliation.^[4]

Background

Smith received both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees from the Roman Catholic Loyola University in New Orleans.^[5] He is a member of the Leesville Lions Club, the Masonic lodge, the Shriners, Louisiana Cattleman's Association, Ducks Unlimited, and the Leesville/Vernon Parish Chamber of Commerce.

Smith is also a former member of the Vernon Parish Police Jury and was the jury president from 1980 to 1983. Those same years, he also served on the Louisiana Democratic State Central Committee.^[5]

Smith and his wife, the former Pamela Arnondin, have a son and a daughter, Bradford and Payton Smith.^[5]

Legislative matters

In the 2007 state Senate primary, Smith, still a Democrat, faced competition from two other Democrats, including Buddy Leach, a former state representative and U.S. representative, and a future Democratic state party chairman. Leach led in the balloting with 10,219 votes (39.4 percent); Smith trailed with 9,227 votes (35.6 percent), and a third candidate, Terry Fowler, polled a critical 6,492 ballots (25 percent).^[6] In the general election on November 17, Smith prevailed, 9,326 (51.5 percent) to Leach's 8,777 (48.5 percent).^[7]

From 1988 to 2008, Smith served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 30 (same number as the Senate district). He was unopposed in his first bid for the House in 1987, when the incumbent Buddy Leach instead ran unsuccessfully for Louisiana state treasurer, having been defeated by Mary Landrieu. In his 1991 campaign for House reelection, Smith prevailed outright in the primary with 7,773 votes (57.6 percent) over two opponents, Democrat Thomas H. "Tommy" Ford, who received 3,868 votes (28.7 percent) and Republican Sam Townsend, who trailed with 1,858 votes (13.8 percent).^[8] Thereafter, Smith was again unopposed for the House in 1995, 1999, and 2003.^[2]

Smith chairs the Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs Committee. He also serves on (1) Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development, (2) Natural Resources. He is a member of on the Incentive Program Review Subcommittee of the Joint Budget Committee.^[5] In 2010, Smith voted 67 percent of the time with the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and 90 percent with the conservative Louisiana Family Forum. In 2009, he was rated 100 percent by the Louisiana Right to Life Federation.^[9]

2011 election

In his bid for a second term in the general election held on November 19, 2011, Smith defeated his predecessor in the office, James David Cain. Smith received 8,457 votes (59.4 percent) to Cain's 5,772 (40.6 percent).^[10]

Smith carried the backing of Governor Bobby Jindal. In the primary held on October 22, 2011, he led a three-candidate field with 9,808 votes (45.6 percent). Cain trailed with 6,343 (29.5 percent). Democrat Terry Fowler held the remaining but critical 5,370 votes (25 percent).^[11]

Notes