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Speaker Smith Defends Right Flank in Campaign Ad

Rep. Smith
Rep. Smith

House Speaker Sam Smith hasn’t officially kicked off his 2014 campaign yet, but voters in his district can already hear his re-election message.

He came perilously close to losing a Republican primary 2012 and apparently does not want to be caught off guard this year.

His campaign is airing ads on multiple radio stations around his Jefferson County-based district that tout his conservative record.

“We may not be as big as Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, but thanks to Sam our conservative voice is heard,” a narrator boasts.

The ad notes that Smith has a 100% rating from the American Conservative Union, is pro-life, and has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association in every campaign.

PoliticsPA is seeking comment from Smith’s campaign as well as a copy of the ad.

Barely on the radar of statewide observers in the runup to primary 2012, Smith’s close call was one of the big surprises of the night.

The Speaker took 49% of the vote in a three way race versus two little-known conservative challengers. He lost his home county, Jefferson, to retired prison officer Chris Dush. Wide margins in Indiana and Armstrong counties gave Smith an overall win margin of 459 votes.

PoliticsPA is seeking comment from Dush about the possibility of a rematch.

The votes against Smith, who would be seeking a 14th term in 2014, appeared to be based in anti-Harrisburg, anti-incumbency sentiment as much as ideology.

This year Smith has a prominent example of departure from conservative orthodoxy: the transportation bill. Smith earned high praise from many Republicans, Democrats, centrists and political observers for single-handedly shepherding the $2.4 billion infrastructure package through the House in the fall.

But many conservatives opposed the bill on the grounds that it would increase taxes – specifically the effective tax rate on gasoline.

Smith’s 66th district barely changed during redistricting. It still has all of Jefferson County but gave up its small sliver of Armstrong and added new territory in Indiana. 87.9% of the voters in Smith’s new district were also in his old district, including 88.7% of Republicans according to Labels & Lists.

HD-66 is solid red, 55.1% GOP to 35.1% Dem

7 Responses

  1. Gas tax to Philly mass transits unions

    It’s a huge benefit for helping us rebuild our system,” said Francis Kelly, SEPTA’s assistant general manager for public and government affairs. Increased revenues from such sources as tolls and motor vehicle fees – though not from gas taxes directly — should grow to $340 million a year for SEPTA five years from now, he said.
    http://mobile.philly.com/news/?wss=/philly/news&id=238268121

  2. Speaker Smith demonstrated leadership with the passage of the transportation bill. Despite being opposed by some of his own party he led the way. Transportation is a responsibility of government and it cannot be ignored. It would have been irresponsible to do nothing. Kudos to the Speaker for doing what he was sent to Harrisburg for and that’s making tough choices and leading the way.

  3. Anyone know smith votes on midnight pay raise and 50% increase in legislators pensions.
    Please post answer

  4. OUT with the OLD. These people are so entrenched with the PARTY they do nothing for the people. VOTE THEM ALL OUT.

  5. Sam Smith voted for every one of Ed Rendell’s budgets.

    Sam Smith voted to increase Pennsylvania debt by $6.3 Bbillion dollars.

    Sam Smith voted for the Republican $2.4 Bbillion dollar Tax Increase advancing the Democratic agenda of more spending, more debt and more taxes.

    The Smith Dynasty has held power for 50 years.

    “Clueless” Sam Smith signed the $10,000,000 Computergate contract for which John Perzel went to jail.

    The voters of House District 66 bear a lot of the responsibility for the mess we are in.

  6. $300 BILLION? The writer is a dolt. Also, in his district, a bridge washed out last summer. There is a 90-MINUTE detour for school buses. We can’t afford more of that. We needed the money for roads and bridges, and if we had to give some to Philly to get it, that’s called
    “compromise and consensus,” which is the hallmark of a republic, not a fascistic dictatorship as the right-wing loonies seem to want. This was still America, last I looked. Smith has his faults, but that vote isn’t one of them.

  7. Smith is pro state run liquor store, pro unaffordable pensions especially his, pro 2nd highest tax increase the PA history 28 cents per gallon with a full third of that gax tax going to big city like Philly mass transit unions.
    what, s not to like.
    He saved a jefferson county’s liquor clerk’s job but sent
    $300 billion of your gas tax to philly union bus drivers.
    Great trade

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