John R. Smith (born December 29, 1945) is a politician from Leesville, Louisiana, who is a Republican former member of the

Louisiana State Senate The Louisiana State Senate (french: Sénat de Louisiane) is the upper house of the state legislature of Louisiana. All senators serve four-year terms and are assigned to multiple committees. Composition The Louisiana State Senate is compose ...

for

District 30 A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

. In 2010, Smith switched from

Democratic Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to Republican party affiliation.

Background

Smith received both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees from the Roman Catholic Loyola University in New Orleans. 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. Smith and his wife, the former Pamela Arnondin, have a son and a daughter, Bradford Smith and Payton Smith John, the wife of former United States Representative Chris John of Louisiana's 7th congressional district, since disbanded.

Legislative matters

Thereafter, Smith was unopposed for the House in 1995, 1999, and 2003. Smith chairs the Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs Committee. He is a member of on the Incentive Program Review Subcommittee of the Joint Budget Committee.

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 James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

. Smith received 8,457 votes (59.4 percent) to Cain's 5,772 (40.6 percent). Smith carried the backing of Governor

Bobby Jindal Piyush "Bobby" Jindal (born June 10, 1971) is an American politician who served as the 55th Governor of Louisiana from 2008 to 2016. The only living former Louisiana governor, Jindal also served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives a ...

. 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).

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, John R. 1945 births Living people Loyola University New Orleans alumni Louisiana Democrats Louisiana Republicans Louisiana state senators Members of the Louisiana House of Representatives Louisiana local politicians People from Leesville, Louisiana Businesspeople from Louisiana 21st-century American legislators 21st-century Louisiana politicians