Bob Smither
Encyclopedia
Bob Smither was the Libertarian Party
nominee for the 2006 special election
in Texas's 22nd congressional district
.
since 1960. Smither and his wife Gay have two children, David and Laura, the latter deceased. Currently, Bob, Gay, and David reside in the Friendswood, Texas. They attend Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Friendswood.
from the University of Houston
. He has taught as an adjunct professor of electrical engineering at the University of Houston for 14 years.
Smither worked for NASA, General Electric, Mandrel Products, and GeoSource before incorporating Circuit Concepts, Inc. an engineering consulting firm where he is currently the president, in 1978.
for missing children in Friendswood. Additionally, he currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Houston Regional Amber Plan, a community notification system that has saved the lives of abducted children.
libertarian
http://www.fortbendnow.com/news/2009/3-cd-22-candidates-appear-in-chamber-near-debate-while-1-watches-from-sidelines. A former Republican, Smither discovered the Libertarian Party in 1972, finding that he shared the Libertarian principles of personal responsibility and individual freedom. He has been active in the party since that time, and in 2006 ran for the United States House of Representatives
for Texas's 22nd Congressional District.
in 2006 gave an unexpected boost to Libertarian prospects in the 22nd District. This was caused by DeLay's resignation and the subsequent defeat of the Republican Party in Federal Court when they attempted to nominate another Republican to the ballot. The courts ruled that the Republican Party could not name a replacement candidate for DeLay, leaving them with no nominee on the November 2006 ballot. The 22nd District traditionally has voted Republican.
Due to the court ruling the only candidates on the ballot were Smither and Democrat Nick Lampson
. As a result, some analysts believed that Smither could draw unprecedented support from Republican voters as an alternative to Lampson.
Republican Precinct Chairs named Houston City Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs as a write-in candidate
for the seat on August 17, 2006.
Because a write-in campaign for the House of Representatives has never succeeded in Texas, some Republicans were rightly concerned that a write-in campaign would divide the conservative vote, making it more likely that Democrat Nick Lampson will be elected. Chief among the concerns of many conservatives was the fact that Nick Lampson would likely vote for Democrat Nancy Pelosi
to be Speaker of the House. Smither's supporters pointed out to conservatives that he pledged to vote for Republican leadership in the House.
Promoting his commitment to transparency in government, Smither also signed the “Punch Clock Agreement,” a contract promising Texas Congressional District 22 voters that, if elected, he would publish his daily official work schedule on the Internet, including the names of everyone he met with and the events he attended.
Bob Smither lost both the Special and General Elections on November 7, 2006. He received 18% of the vote in the special election, coming in second place, and 6% of the vote in the general election, coming in third place. Though Smither was unable to strengthen his share of the vote because of the absence of a Republican candidate as much as libertarians had hoped, the Republican write-in campaign was unsuccessful and Lampson won the general election.
Libertarian Party of Texas
The Libertarian Party of Texas is the state affiliate of the Libertarian Party in Texas, USA. The state chair is Patrick Dixon.- Overview :In 1971, Texas was one of the 13 original founding state parties at the first LP convention in Denver, Colorado...
nominee for the 2006 special election
Texas 22nd congressional district election, 2006
The 2006 Texas 22nd congressional district election for the 110th Congress was held on November 7, 2006, and attracted considerable attention because this district was represented by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, a prominent member of the Republican Party, who resigned after being...
in Texas's 22nd congressional district
Texas's 22nd congressional district
Texas District 22 of the United States House of Representatives is the Congressional district that covers a south-central portion of the metropolitan area. It includes the cities of Rosenberg and La Marque as well as portions of Missouri City and Pearland, in Fort Bend, Harris, Galveston, and...
.
Biography
Bob Smither is a fifth generation Texan who has lived in Houston, TexasHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
since 1960. Smither and his wife Gay have two children, David and Laura, the latter deceased. Currently, Bob, Gay, and David reside in the Friendswood, Texas. They attend Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Friendswood.
Education and career
Smither holds a Ph.D in electrical engineeringElectrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
. He has taught as an adjunct professor of electrical engineering at the University of Houston for 14 years.
Smither worked for NASA, General Electric, Mandrel Products, and GeoSource before incorporating Circuit Concepts, Inc. an engineering consulting firm where he is currently the president, in 1978.
Community service
Smither has consistently been active in the local community. He served on the Board of Directors of the Armand Bayou Nature Center, an organization committed to preserving habitat along the Armand Bayou. In 1997, following the kidnapping and murder of their daughter Laura, Smither and his wife Gay founded the Laura Recovery CenterLaura Recovery Center
The Laura Recovery Center exists to prevent abductions and runaways and to recover missing children by fostering a Triangle of Trust among law enforcement, communities and a missing child's families. The center is headquartered in Friendswood, Texas, United States...
for missing children in Friendswood. Additionally, he currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Houston Regional Amber Plan, a community notification system that has saved the lives of abducted children.
Publications
Smither published his first book, Essential Calculus, in 2010. The book was self-published, using the tools available on CreateSpace.Politics
Bob Smither is a fiscally conservativeFiscal conservatism
Fiscal conservatism is a political term used to describe a fiscal policy that advocates avoiding deficit spending. Fiscal conservatives often consider reduction of overall government spending and national debt as well as ensuring balanced budget of paramount importance...
libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
http://www.fortbendnow.com/news/2009/3-cd-22-candidates-appear-in-chamber-near-debate-while-1-watches-from-sidelines. A former Republican, Smither discovered the Libertarian Party in 1972, finding that he shared the Libertarian principles of personal responsibility and individual freedom. He has been active in the party since that time, and in 2006 ran for the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for Texas's 22nd Congressional District.
2006 Campaign
The resignation of Republican Congressman Tom DeLayTom DeLay
Thomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
in 2006 gave an unexpected boost to Libertarian prospects in the 22nd District. This was caused by DeLay's resignation and the subsequent defeat of the Republican Party in Federal Court when they attempted to nominate another Republican to the ballot. The courts ruled that the Republican Party could not name a replacement candidate for DeLay, leaving them with no nominee on the November 2006 ballot. The 22nd District traditionally has voted Republican.
Due to the court ruling the only candidates on the ballot were Smither and Democrat Nick Lampson
Nick Lampson
Nicholas Valentino 'Nick' Lampson is an American politician from the state of Texas and was a Congressman representing the 22nd Congressional District of Texas. He was defeated by Pete Olson on November 4, 2008 in his re-election bid....
. As a result, some analysts believed that Smither could draw unprecedented support from Republican voters as an alternative to Lampson.
Republican Precinct Chairs named Houston City Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs as a write-in candidate
Write-in candidate
A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters may vote nonetheless by writing in the person's name. Some states and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker with a write-in candidate's name on it to the ballot in lieu...
for the seat on August 17, 2006.
Because a write-in campaign for the House of Representatives has never succeeded in Texas, some Republicans were rightly concerned that a write-in campaign would divide the conservative vote, making it more likely that Democrat Nick Lampson will be elected. Chief among the concerns of many conservatives was the fact that Nick Lampson would likely vote for Democrat Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
to be Speaker of the House. Smither's supporters pointed out to conservatives that he pledged to vote for Republican leadership in the House.
Promoting his commitment to transparency in government, Smither also signed the “Punch Clock Agreement,” a contract promising Texas Congressional District 22 voters that, if elected, he would publish his daily official work schedule on the Internet, including the names of everyone he met with and the events he attended.
Bob Smither lost both the Special and General Elections on November 7, 2006. He received 18% of the vote in the special election, coming in second place, and 6% of the vote in the general election, coming in third place. Though Smither was unable to strengthen his share of the vote because of the absence of a Republican candidate as much as libertarians had hoped, the Republican write-in campaign was unsuccessful and Lampson won the general election.
Endorsements
- Former Republican Congressman, Bob Barr (R-GA)
- Jerry Patterson, Texas Land Commissioner
- Patrick Dixon, City Councilor, Lago Vista, Texas
- Redstate.com, a conservative blog
- GOPProgress.org, a conservative blog
- WWE wrestler Glen JacobsGlen JacobsGlenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
(aka 'Kane')
External links
- Essential Calculus (book) - http://www.C-C-I.com/calculus
- Bob Smither's Campaign website - http://www.BobSmither.com/
- Bob Smither's Campaign Blog - http://www.smither.net/bb/
- Reason Online editorial article - http://www.reason.com/hod/sm081706.shtml
- Washington Times article - http://washingtontimes.com/national/20060816-112754-1215r.htm
- Interview with Bob Smither about the Laura Recovery Center - http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0206/15/cst.06.html