Fred Smith | |
---|---|
Member of the North Carolina Senate from the 12th district | |
In office January 1, 2003 –January 1, 2009 | |
Preceded by | Allen Wellons (Redistricting) |
Succeeded by | David Rouzer |
Personal details | |
Born | Raleigh,North Carolina | March 27,1942
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Virginia Reid Smith |
Children | 5 |
Education | Needham B. Broughton High School |
Alma mater | Wake Forest University |
Military service | |
Branch/service | United States Army |
Rank | Captain |
Fred Smith (born March 27,1942,in Raleigh,NC [1] ) is a North Carolina politician who served in the North Carolina Senate and ran for Governor of North Carolina in 2008.
Smith was raised in Raleigh,North Carolina. His father was a teacher and coach at an orphanage,and his mother was a homemaker. While attending Raleigh's Needham B. Broughton High School,Smith earned a football scholarship to attend Wake Forest University. Subsequently,he attended Wake Forest University School of Law,where he graduated with honors in 1966.
Smith is married to Virginia Reid Smith,is father to five children,and is grandfather to seven children. The Smith family is active in the First Baptist Church of Clayton,where he has been a Sunday school teacher.
Smith served as a captain in the United States Army JAG Corps for four years after law school. In the years that followed,Fred Smith became a lawyer and homebuilder. Smith's businesses employ more than 600 people in Wake and Johnston Counties. The largest of those companies is paving company CC Mangum,of which he is the CEO. Smith also created the Fred Smith Company,which builds homes and constructs golf courses and athletic clubs. [2] Smith touts himself as a CEO,not a politician,who deals with "straight talk and a clear vision." [3]
Smith was elected in 2000 as a Johnston County commissioner. In 2002,he was elected to the first of 3 terms in the state Senate,representing Johnston County and Wayne County. [4]
Smith argued for a critical east–west transportation corridor. He was a primary sponsor of North Carolina Amendment 1,an amendment to the Constitution of North Carolina which would define marriage as between one man and one woman.
Smith was heavily criticized by the Democratic Party,including criticisms from then-state party chairman Jerry Meek,as being an absentee Senator,because Smith missed over 300 votes in 2007,which was over a quarter of all possible voting opportunities. [5]
In 2007,Smith became a candidate for Governor. The office was coming open as a result of the departure of term-limited incumbent,Mike Easley. During his gubernatorial campaign,Smith physically visited all 100 North Carolina counties in nine months and 18 days,holding a barbecue dinner in each county. Barbecue dinners,known as the "Fred Smith for Governor BBQ Statewide Tour," [6] started in Haywood County,North Carolina on Thursday,August 2,2007,and ended on Tuesday,March 18,2008,in Pasquotank County,North Carolina. Additionally,during these dinners,Smith thanked each attendee upon their exit from the dinner.
Smith lost the 2008 Republican primary to Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory. Official primary election results show Fred Smith won 66 counties but out of a total of 504,973 votes,Smith lost the popular vote to Pat McCrory by 45,975 votes. [7]
On May 6,2008,Smith endorsed Pat McCrory,saying,"I have pledged my full support to Pat McCrory to do whatever is in my power to help elect a Republican governor in November to change the culture in Raleigh and fix our broken government." [8] McCrory was not elected in 2008,but was elected in 2012. After taking office in 2013,McCrory appointed Smith to the North Carolina Economic Development Board. [9] [10]
Wake County is located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. In the 2020 census,its population was 1,129,410,making it North Carolina's most-populous county. From July 2005 to July 2006,Wake County was the 9th-fastest growing county in the United States,with Cary and Raleigh being the 8th- and 15th-fastest growing cities,respectively.
Michael Francis Easley is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 72nd governor of North Carolina from 2001 to 2009. He is the first governor of North Carolina to have been convicted of a felony. A member of the Democratic Party,Easley was North Carolina's second Catholic governor.
Walter H. Dalton is an American attorney and politician who served as the 33rd Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina. A member of the Democratic Party,he served six terms in the state senate before his election to the office of lieutenant governor in 2008.
Patrick Lloyd McCrory is an American businessman,politician and radio host who served as the 74th governor of North Carolina from 2013 to 2017. A member of the Republican Party,he previously served as the 53rd Mayor of Charlotte from 1995 to 2009. McCrory also served on the U.S. Homeland Security Advisory Council from 2002 to 2006 under President George W. Bush.
The 2008 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 4,2008,coinciding with the presidential,U.S. Senate,U.S. House elections,Council of State and statewide judicial elections. Democrat Bev Perdue won the election. With a margin of 3.39%,this election was the closest race of the 2008 gubernatorial election cycle.
North Carolina elections to choose members of the Council of State were held November 4,2008. This coincided with the presidential,U.S. Senate,U.S. House,gubernatorial,and statewide judicial elections.
Donnie Harrison is an American retired law enforcement officer who served as the Sheriff of Wake County,North Carolina from 2002 to 2018. Prior to taking the position,he was for 26 years a law enforcement officer in Wake County with the North Carolina Highway Patrol. From 1988 to 1992,he was also the Chief of Security for Lieutenant Governor James Carson Gardner.
The 2012 North Carolina gubernatorial election took place on November 6,2012,concurrently with the 2012 United States presidential election,U.S. House election,statewide judicial election,Council of State election and various local elections.
The 2008 North Carolina lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 4,2008,as part of the elections to the Council of State. North Carolina also held a gubernatorial election on the same day,but the offices of governor and lieutenant governor are elected independently.
Beverly Eaves Perdue is an American businesswoman,politician,and member of the Democratic Party who served as the 73rd governor of North Carolina from 2009 to 2013. She was the first female governor of North Carolina.
James Arthur Pope is an American businessman,attorney and former government official. Pope is the owner,chairman and CEO of Variety Wholesalers,a group of 370 retail stores in 16 states. He is also the president and chairman of the John William Pope Foundation. He previously served in the North Carolina House of Representatives and recently served as the Budget Director for North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory.
The North Carolina Council of State elections of 2012 were held November 6,2012 to select the nine officers of the North Carolina Council of State. This election coincided with the U.S. presidential election,U.S. House elections,the gubernatorial election and the statewide judicial elections. Primary elections were held on May 8,2012;for races in which no candidate received 40 percent of the vote in the primary,runoff elections were held on July 17.
Four justices of the seven-member North Carolina Supreme Court and four judges of the 15-member North Carolina Court of Appeals were elected by North Carolina voters on November 4,2014,concurrently with other state elections. Terms for seats on each court are eight years.
The 2016 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 8,2016,concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election,as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
One justice of the seven-member North Carolina Supreme Court and five judges of the 15-member North Carolina Court of Appeals were elected by North Carolina voters on November 8,2016,concurrently with other state elections. Terms for seats on each court are eight years.
The North Carolina Council of State elections of 2016 were held on November 8,2016 to select the ten officers of the North Carolina Council of State. This elections coincided with the presidential election,elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the Senate and state elections to the General Assembly and judiciary. Primary elections were held March 15.
The 2020 North Carolina lieutenant gubernatorial election took place on November 3,2020,to elect the Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina,concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election,as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Primary elections were held on March 3,2020.
The 2022 United States Senate election in North Carolina was held on November 8,2022 to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of North Carolina. Primary elections were scheduled for March 8,2022,but were delayed by the North Carolina Supreme Court and rescheduled for May 17.
A special election was held on September 10,2019,to fill the vacancy in North Carolina's 9th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives for the remainder of the 116th United States Congress. The seat had been vacant since the opening of the 116th Congress,following the refusal of the North Carolina State Board of Elections to certify the results of the November 2018 election in the district due to allegations of electoral fraud. Because of the allegations,the race received substantial national attention.
The North Carolina Council of State elections of 2020 were held on November 3,2020,to select the ten officers of the North Carolina Council of State. These elections coincided with the presidential election,elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the Senate and elections to the North Carolina General Assembly and top state courts. Primary elections were held on March 3,2020,for offices for which more than one candidate filed per party.