Rod Smith

Rodney Warren Smith (born November 15, 1949) is an American lawyer and politician from the U.S. state of Florida. A Democrat, Smith was a member of the Florida Senate from Gainesville from 2001 until 2006. Smith ran for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Florida in the 2006 election but lost to Congressman Jim Davis. In 2010, Smith was the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Florida as the running mate of Alex Sink in her campaign for Governor of Florida. From November 2010 through January 2013 Smith served as chairman of the Florida Democratic Party. In 2016, Smith again ran for a seat in the Florida Senate but was ultimately defeated by Keith Perry, a Republican and former state representative.

Early life and education

Smith was born on November 15, 1949, in Southwest City, Missouri, just across the state line from his family's home in Oklahoma. Before he reached the age of two, Smith's family moved to Florida, where they grew eggplant and green peppers. Smith attended public schools. He attended the University of Tulsa, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1971. While at the University of Tulsa, he was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. He then attended the University of Florida College of Law graduating with a J.D. degree in 1975.

Legal and political career Following his admission to The Florida Bar, Smith worked for the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission for two years, representing the state in cases relating to labor law. After two years in Tallahassee, Smith returned to Alachua County and spent the next 15 years in private practice. The St. Petersburg Times later wrote that, since that time, Smith has "crisscrossed Florida, representing an array of labor unions–police officers and firefighters, electrical workers, carpenters, painters and pipe fitters. He argued on behalf of large vegetable farmers and dairies and nurserymen. He won settlements against the likes of DuPont and, occasionally, represented criminal defendants...He established himself as a skillful litigator."

In 1992, Smith was recruited by a group of county sheriffs to seek the office of State Attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit of Florida. Smith defeated incumbent Len Register that same year and, during his first term, successfully prosecuted serial killer Danny Rolling, the "Gainesville Ripper."

2010 Election

On August 17, 2010, Rod Smith was announced as the running mate for Alex Sink on the Democratic ticket for the race to succeed Crist, who chose to run for election to the U.S. Senate rather than for re-election as governor. On November 2, the Sink/Smith ticket lost to the Republican Scott/Carroll ticket by a 1% margin.

2016 Election When the Florida Supreme Court ordered the drawing of new state senate districts in December 2015, District 8, a newly formed district comprising Alachua County, Putnam County, and the northern half of Marion County opened up. On March 1, 2016, Smith announced his campaign for the seat against the then third-term Republican state representative Keith Perry. On November 8, Smith lost to Perry with 47.4% of the vote, a 5.2% margin.

Florida Democratic Party

In November 2010 Smith was elected chairman of the Florida Democratic Party (FDP), succeeding Karen Thurman who resigned on November 12, 2010, following the midterm elections. Smith's term expired in January 2013 when he was succeeded by Allison Tant.

Awards and honors

Florida Police Chiefs Association's Legislative Achievement Award (2002)–for efforts to improve public safety and fight crime

Voices of Children Foundation's MVP Leadership Award (2004)–for efforts on behalf of abused, abandoned and neglected children. Florida AFL-CIO "Legislator of the Year"–efforts on behalf of organized labor Named the "most effective Democrat in the Florida Senate" by the Miami Herald in 2003.

Beliefs Senator Smith is generally regarded as a political moderate and has traditionally taken stances more conservative than the average Democrat. For example, he has received an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA). Still, during the first televised debate of the 2006 Democratic primary, Smith stated that he had "no problem with a carefully defined assault weapons ban. We want to make sure we don't have weapons in the hands of people who aren't supposed to have them and we have tough laws to prevent that." Smith has stated that he supports, and is a principal architect of, legislation requiring parental notification for minors seeking an abortion but would "leave an exception for the health and life of the mother." Smith describes himself as pro-choice and his official website promised to, "veto any legislation that would allow the government more influence over a woman's personal and private decisions regarding her own body."

Over the course of the 2006 gubernatorial primary, both Smith and his Democratic primary opponent took many positions not generally associated with the Democratic Party. The latter (Davis) voted for the Iraq War and "also voted to ban flag-burning." Both men agreed on capital punishment and both agreed on having only, as Davis put it, "some restrictions on assault weapons."

Personal life Smith and his wife, DeeDee, live on their farm in Alachua County. As reported in Tampa Bay Online Smith, "married Deidra 'DeeDee' Painter, a lawyer .... They have three kids, one together and one each from previous marriages." DeeDee Smith graduated from law school at age 39 and is an attorney and advocate for child abuse victims.

Smith has 1 daughter, Alison Glover, and 2 sons, Jesse Smith and Dylan Smith. He also has, as of January 2018, four grandchildren. Two from Alison and her husband, Graham Glover, named Hannah Grace and Graham, Jr., and two from Jesse and his wife, Jan, named Norah Lucille and Charlotte Warren.