Thurston "Smitty" Smith (born March 9, 1958) is an American businessman and politician who is a member of the

California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The A ...

from the 33rd district. He assumed office on December 7, 2020, succeeding

Jay Obernolte Jay Phillip Obernolte ( ; born August 18, 1970) is an American politician, businessman, and video game developer serving as the U.S. representative for since 2021. A Republican, he was previously a member of the California State Assembly represe ...

Early life and education

Smith was born in Hesperia, California, and took classes at

Victor Valley College Victor Valley College is a public community college in the southeast corner of Victorville, California. It is part of the California Community College System. The Victor Valley Community College district includes Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Val ...

Career

Prior to his election to the Assembly, Smith owned a concrete company. He served on the Hesperia

City Council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...

from 2006 to 2014 and on the

Mohave Valley The Mohave Valley is a valley located mostly on the east shore of the south-flowing Colorado River in northwest Arizona. The valley extends into California's San Bernardino County; the northern side of the valley extends into extreme southeast ...

Water Agency from 2016 to 2018. After

declined to seek re-election to the Assembly and instead run for

California's 8th congressional district California's 8th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. As of 2021, Republican Jay Obernolte represents the district. Currently, the 8th district encompasses most of the eastern desert regions of t ...

, Smith announced his candidacy to succeed him. Smith placed first in the nonpartisan blanket primary and defeated fellow Republican Rick Herrick, the Mayor of

Big Bear Lake Big Bear Lake is a reservoir in the San Bernardino Mountains, in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is a snow and rain fed lake, having no other means of tributaries or mechanical replenishment. At a surface elevation of , it ...

, in the November general election.

Personal life

Smith lives in Apple Valley, California with his wife Margaret.

Election results

2020

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Thurston Living people 1958 births People from Hesperia, California People from Apple Valley, California 21st-century American politicians Mayors of places in California Republican Party members of the California State Assembly