Jason Smith | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee | |
Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Richard Neal |
Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee | |
In office January 3,2021 –January 3,2023 | |
Preceded by | Steve Womack |
Succeeded by | Brendan Boyle |
Secretary of the House Republican Conference | |
In office January 3,2017 –January 3,2021 | |
Leader | Paul Ryan Kevin McCarthy |
Preceded by | Virginia Foxx |
Succeeded by | Richard Hudson |
Member of the U.S.HouseofRepresentatives from Missouri's 8th district | |
Assumed office June 4,2013 | |
Preceded by | Jo Ann Emerson |
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives | |
In office November 14,2005 –June 4,2013 | |
Preceded by | Frank Barnitz |
Succeeded by | Shawn Sisco |
Constituency | 150th district (2005–2013) 120th district (2013) |
Personal details | |
Born | Jason Thomas Smith June 16,1980 St. Louis,Missouri,U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Education | University of Missouri (BS) Oklahoma City University (JD) |
Website | House website |
Jason Thomas Smith (born June 16, 1980) is an American businessman and politician who has been the U.S. representative for Missouri's 8th congressional district since 2013. [1] The district comprises 30 counties, covering just under 20,000 square miles of southeastern and southern Missouri. [2]
Before being elected to Congress, Smith served four full terms and one partial term in the Missouri House of Representatives. He was the majority whip during the 96th Missouri General Assembly [3] and as the speaker pro tempore during the 97th Missouri General Assembly. [4]
![]() |
Smith was born in St. Louis to Bill, a former minister and auto mechanic, and Mary, a former employee of Briggs & Stratton and a dog breeder. [5] He graduated from Salem High School in 1998. [6]
At age 20, Smith earned two degrees from the University of Missouri: a Bachelor of Science in agriculture economics and a Bachelor of Science in business administration. He attended law school at Oklahoma City University. He is a licensed real estate agent and formed his own small business specializing in property investment and development. He earned his Juris Doctor in 2004. [6] [7]
After passing the Missouri Bar in 2004, Smith practiced law at a local law firm in Cuba, Missouri. He also took over his family's farm, just outside Salem, which has been in Smith's family for four generations. At this time, he was a co-owner of a dog breeding business which his mother operated. [8]
After State Representative Frank Barnitz resigned in 2005, Smith ran for Missouri's 150th House District in a special election. The 150th covered portions of Dent, Phelps, Crawford, and Reynolds counties. Smith defeated Democratic challenger Bobby Simpson 54%–44%. [9]
One year after being elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in a special election, Smith defeated Democrat Jim O'Donnell 64%–32%.
In 2008, Smith received 70% of the vote, defeating Democrat James D. Ellis. [10]
In November 2010, Smith was unopposed in his reelection campaign to his fourth full term to the Missouri House of Representatives. [11] After his reelection, he was elected by his peers to serve as one of the youngest Majority Whips to serve in the Missouri House of Representatives. [12]
Smith was again unopposed in his final election to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2012. [13]
At age 25 upon taking office in 2005, Smith became youngest member of the Missouri House of Representatives. During his first year in office, he served as Majority Assistant Deputy Whip [14] and served on the Agriculture Policy Committee, Appropriations—Education Committee and the Judiciary Committee. [14]
From 2007-2009, Smith served as the vice chair of the Special Committee on Job Creation and Economic Development. [15]
In 2011, Smith sponsored legislation to repeal a 2010-approved referendum, the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act, regarding oversight of dog breeding businesses requiring "daily feeding, annual veterinary care, increased living spaces and greater access to outdoor exercise". [16] Governor Jay Nixon, a Democrat, signed the repeal into law in 2011. [17]
In 2013, Smith was elected by his peers to serve as the speaker pro tempore. [18]
Smith ran for the vacant 8th congressional district of Missouri seat after U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson resigned to accept a CEO position with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
Per Missouri statute, Smith was selected by the 8th District Republican Central Committee to be the party's nominee in the June special election. The selection process—which began with 27 candidates and narrowed to 13 on nomination day—lasted six total rounds before Smith was the last one standing as the Republican nominee on February 9, 2013. Some of the other candidates included State Representative Todd Richardson of Poplar Bluff, former State Treasurer of Missouri and U.S. Representative Wendell Bailey, former State Senator Jason Crowell of Cape Girardeau, Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder, former State Treasurer of Missouri Sarah Steelman, State Representative Clint Tracy of Cape Girardeau, and State Senator Wayne Wallingford of Cape Girardeau.
In the June special election, Smith was challenged by Democratic State Representative Steve Hodges of East Prairie, businessman Doug Enyart of the Constitution Party, and Libertarian Bill Slantz. He was declared the winner of the special election on June 4. [19] The election marked the 47th consecutive U.S. House race in Missouri in which Democrats failed to pick up a Republican-held seat dating back to 1994 – the second longest Democratic pick-up drought in the nation. [20]
After an unopposed primary election on August 5, 2014 [21] and 17 months after the special election, Smith was up for his first reelection on November 4, 2014. He won a five-way race with two-thirds of the vote and carried all 30 counties in the district.
In 2015, Smith condemned the Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which held that same-sex marriage bans violated the constitution. [22]
On March 8, 2017, Smith, during debate about a tanning salon tax under the Affordable Care Act, wondered aloud, "What I found on Google is roughly 80% of who's taxed is women... Today is International Women's Day. It's interesting no one is bringing that up." He continued, "You look at the number one cause of skin cancer... It's the sun. So I've noticed the people over here haven't found too many taxes they dislike. So why have they not proposed a tax on the sun?" [23]
Smith is a defender of gun rights; on December 6, 2017, he voted for the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, a bill that would allow individuals to cross state line while carrying a gun. [24]
As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Smith had a role in writing and passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. [25]
On January 19, 2018, Smith was one of the 235 Republicans that voted for HR 4712, [26] the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, a bill that established procedural requirements for when an abortion results in a child born prematurely. [26]
On January 17, 2019, Smith shouted "Go back to Puerto Rico!" at House Democratic members on the House floor while Representative Tony Cardenas was presiding. [27] He later clarified and apologized to Cardenas and stated his remark was in reference to a recent trip taken to Puerto Rico by several lawmakers, including Cardenas, not to single out anyone's ethnicity. [28] His apology was accepted. [29]
In December 2020, Smith was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania , a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting certain voting procedures during the 2020 presidential election. [30] The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state. [31] House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement that called signing the amicus brief an act of "election subversion". She also reprimanded the House members, including Smith, who supported the lawsuit: "The 126 Republican Members that signed onto this lawsuit brought dishonor to the House. Instead of upholding their oath to support and defend the Constitution, they chose to subvert the Constitution and undermine public trust in our sacred democratic institutions." [32]
Smith was present on the floor of the House chamber during the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol. [33]
On May 13, 2021, Smith voted against HR 2547 - Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act, a bill that provides additional financial protections for consumers and places restrictions on debt collection activities. [34]
Smith opposes COVID-19 vaccine mandates, tweeting in July 2021, "The Biden administration wants to knock down your door KGB-style to force people to get vaccinated. We must oppose forced vaccination!" [35]
On February 9, 2022, Smith announced he would seek reelection for a sixth term and pursue the chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee, forgoing a run for the United States Senate in the 2022 midterm elections. [36]
In 2024, Smith voted against the $60 billion military aid package for Ukraine, although much of the money would go to his constituency. [37]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jason T. Smith | 42,141 | 67.14 | |
Democratic | Steve Hodges | 17,207 | 27.42 | |
Constitution | Doug Enyart | 2,265 | 3.61 | |
Libertarian | Bill Slantz | 968 | 1.54 | |
Write-In | Others | 185 | 0.29 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jason T. Smith | 106,124 | 66.7 | |
Democratic | Barbara Stocker | 60,535 | 24.7 | |
Independent | Terry Hampton | 6,821 | 4.3 | |
Libertarian | Rick Vandeven | 3,759 | 2.4 | |
Constitution | Doug Enyart | 3,799 | 2.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jason T. Smith | 229,792 | 74.4 | |
Democratic | Dave Cowell | 70,009 | 22.7 | |
Libertarian | Jonathan Lee Shell | 9,070 | 2.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jason T. Smith | 180,271 | 73.7 | |
Democratic | Kathy Ellis | 60,535 | 24.7 | |
Libertarian | Jonathan Lee Shell | 3,863 | 1.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jason T. Smith | 253,811 | 76.9 | |
Democratic | Kathy Ellis | 70,561 | 21.4 | |
Libertarian | Tom Schmitz | 5,854 | 1.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jason T. Smith | 186,472 | 76.0 | |
Democratic | Randi McCallian | 53,738 | 21.9 | |
Libertarian | Jim Higgins | 5,185 | 2.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jason Smith (incumbent) | 271,249 | 76.18 | |
Democratic | Randi McCallian | 77,649 | 21.81 | |
Libertarian | Jake Dawson | 7,166 | 2.01 | |
Total votes | 356,064 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
Smith is unmarried. [46] He is a close friend of former representatives Kristi Noem [47] and Aaron Schock, [48] [49] and Senator Markwayne Mullin. [50] [33]
Smith is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association of America. [51] He attends Grace Community Church in Salem, an Assemblies of God Church. [7] He was a board member of the Missouri Community Betterment Association, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and president of the Salem FFA Association. [52]
Michael Dennis Rogers is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Alabama's 3rd congressional district since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party of Alabama. Rogers is the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee where he served as the Ranking Member from 2021 to 2023 and as the Ranking Member of the House Homeland Security Committee from 2019 to 2021.
Samuel Bruce Graves Jr. is an American aviator and politician best known for serving in the U.S. House of Representatives for Missouri's 6th congressional district, with him being the dean of Missouri's congressional delegation and having held office since 2001. The aforementioned district stretches across most of the northern third of the state, with it including territory from the Kansas border to the Illinois border. The bulk of its population lives in the northern part of the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Kevin Patrick Brady is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Texas's 8th congressional district from 1997 to 2023. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes northern Houston, including The Woodlands. He retired after the 2022 election cycle.
The 1882 United States House of Representatives elections were held for the most part on November 7, 1882, with five states holding theirs early between June and October. They occurred during President Chester A. Arthur's term. Elections were held for 325 seats of the United States House of Representatives, representing 38 states, to serve in the 48th United States Congress. They were the first elections after reapportionment following the 1880 United States census, increasing the size of the House. Special elections were also held throughout the year.
Ann Louise Wagner is an American politician and former diplomat serving as the U.S. representative for Missouri's 2nd congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, she was the United States ambassador to Luxembourg from 2005 to 2009.
Jenniffer La Goldi González Colón is a Puerto Rican politician who is currently serving as the governor of Puerto Rico since 2025. She previously served as the 20th resident commissioner of Puerto Rico from 2017 to 2025. González-Colón has also held leadership positions in the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico (PNP) and the Republican Party of the United States, including being chair of the Puerto Rico Republican Party, speaker and minority leader of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico, and vice-chair of the PNP. She is the second elected and third serving female governor, after Sila María Calderón and Wanda Vázquez Garced, and she is also the first and only woman to be elected or serve as Resident Commissioner.
Daniel Alan Webster is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 11th congressional district since 2017. A member of the Republican Party, he first entered Congress in 2011. He represented Florida's 10th congressional district from 2011 to 2017. Before his congressional service, he served 28 years in the Florida legislature. He was the first Republican Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives since Reconstruction.
Robert Joseph Wittman is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Virginia's 1st congressional district since 2007. The district contains portions of the Richmond suburbs and Hampton Roads area, as well as the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula. He is a member of the Republican Party.
James Austin Scott is an American politician who has been the U.S. representative for Georgia's 8th congressional district since 2011. The district stretches down the middle of the state, from just outside Macon to the Florida border. Scott served as a Republican member of the Georgia House of Representatives before being elected to the U.S. House.
Vicky Jo Hartzler is an American politician, and businesswoman who served as the U.S. representative for Missouri's 4th congressional district from 2011 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party, she served as the Missouri state representative for the 124th district from 1995 to 2001.
Morris Jackson Brooks Jr. is an American attorney and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Alabama's 5th congressional district from 2011 to 2023. His district was based in Huntsville and stretches across the northern fifth of the state. A member of the Republican Party, Brooks was a founding member of the Freedom Caucus.
Eric Alan "Rick" Crawford is an American politician and author who has been the U.S. representative for Arkansas's 1st congressional district since 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party. Before he was elected to Congress, Crawford was a radio announcer, businessman, and U.S. Army soldier.
Darin McKay LaHood is an American attorney and politician who has served as a U.S. representative from Illinois since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, LaHood has represented the 16th district since 2023, and previously represented the 18th district from 2015 to 2023. He previously served in the Illinois Senate from the 37th legislative district from 2011 to 2015, before being elected to Congress in a special election following the resignation of Aaron Schock.
Jill Schupp is an American politician and a former Democratic member of the Missouri Senate, representing the 24th district consisting of the western suburbs of St. Louis from 2015 to 2023. Previously, Schupp represented the 88th district in the Missouri House of Representatives.
Gary James Palmer is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Alabama's 6th congressional district since 2015. His district includes the wealthier parts of Birmingham, as well as most of its suburbs. Before becoming an elected official, Palmer co-founded and served as the longtime president of the Alabama Policy Institute, a conservative think tank.
Dean Plocher is an American politician who served in the Missouri House of Representatives from the 89th district from 2016 to 2025. He was elected speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives on January 4, 2023 and in 2024 ran for Secretary of State but lost in the Republican primary to Denny Hoskins.
These six off-year races featured special elections to the 113th United States Congress to fill vacancies due to resignations in the United States House of Representatives. Two were due to Congressmen taking seats in the United States Senate, one resigned to take jobs in the private sector, one resigned to take a job in the public sector, and one resigned due to an impending federal indictment regarding misuse of campaign funds.
Michael Joseph Garcia is an American politician and former United States Navy pilot who served as the U.S. representative for California's 27th congressional district from 2020 to 2025. A Republican, he was first elected in a May 2020 special election and went on to win a full term in the general election.
The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri were held on November 8, 2022, to elect the eight U.S. representatives from the state of Missouri, one from each of the state's congressional districts. The elections coincided with other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections.
The 2024 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 5, 2024, to elect the 435 representatives of the United States House of Representatives, as well as 6 non-voting delegates from the District of Columbia and inhabited U.S. territories. The elections were held together with other federal, state, and local elections, including the U.S. presidential election and elections to the Senate, as part of the 2024 United States general election. The winners of this election will serve in the 119th United States Congress, with seats apportioned among states based on the 2020 United States census.
{{cite web}}
: |last=
has generic name (help)Aaron Schock's Tuesday began with a quiet early-morning stroll near the Capitol with his close friend, Missouri Rep. Jason Smith.