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Fred Smith (politician)
Encyclopedia
Fred Smith is a North Carolina
politician who served in the North Carolina Senate
and ran for Governor of North Carolina
in 2008
.
, Smith earned a football scholarship to attend Wake Forest University
. Subsequently, he attended Wake Forest Law School, where he graduated with honors in 1966.
Smith is married to Virginia (Ginny) 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.
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. Smith touts himself as a CEO, not a politician, who deals with "straight talk and a clear vision."
commissioner. In 2002, he was elected to the first of 3 terms in the state Senate, representing Johnston County and Wayne County
.
Smith argued for a critical east-west transportation corridor. He was a primary sponsor of an amendment to the North Carolina Constitution
which would define marriage as between one man and one woman at one time.
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.
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
. 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.
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,” 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.
On May 6, 2008, Smith pledged full support to Pat McCrory for governor, 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.”
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
politician who served in the North Carolina Senate
North Carolina Senate
The North Carolina Senate is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly.Its prerogatives and powers are similar to those of the other house, the House of Representatives. Its members do, however, represent districts that are larger than those of their colleagues in the House. The...
and ran for Governor of North Carolina
Governor of North Carolina
The Governor of North Carolina is the chief executive of the State of North Carolina, one of the U.S. states. The current governor is Bev Perdue, North Carolina's first female governor.-Powers:...
in 2008
North Carolina gubernatorial election, 2008
The North Carolina gubernatorial election of 2008 was held on November 4, 2008, coinciding with the presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. House elections, Council of State, and statewide judicial elections...
.
Early life and education
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 Broughton High SchoolNeedham B. Broughton High School
Needham Bryant Broughton High School, or simply Broughton High School, is one of the flagship schools of the Wake County Public School System. It is located at 723 St. Mary's Street, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Broughton was named after the Raleigh aristocrat, Needham B. Broughton, who...
, Smith earned a football scholarship to attend Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
. Subsequently, he attended Wake Forest Law School, where he graduated with honors in 1966.
Smith is married to Virginia (Ginny) 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.
Military and business career
Smith served as a Captain in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
JAG Corps
Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Army
The Judge Advocate General's Corps of the United States Army is composed of Army officers who are also lawyers and who provide legal services to the Army at all levels of command. The Judge Advocate General's Legal Service includes judge advocates, warrant officers, paralegal noncommissioned...
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. Smith touts himself as a CEO, not a politician, who deals with "straight talk and a clear vision."
Political career
Smith was elected in 2000 as a Johnston CountyJohnston County, North Carolina
-Major highways:* Interstate 40* Interstate 95* U.S. Highway 70* U.S. Highway 301* U.S. Highway 701-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 121,965 people, 46,595 households, and 33,688 families residing in the county. The population density was 154 people per square mile . There were...
commissioner. In 2002, he was elected to the first of 3 terms in the state Senate, representing Johnston County and Wayne County
Wayne County, North Carolina
- Cities and towns :*Brogden*Dudley*Elroy*Eureka*Fremont*Goldsboro*Mar-Mac*Mount Olive*Pikeville*Rosewood*Seven Springs*Walnut Creek*Grantham-Geography:According to the U.S...
.
Smith argued for a critical east-west transportation corridor. He was a primary sponsor of an amendment to the North Carolina Constitution
North Carolina Constitution
The Constitution of the State of North Carolina governs the structure and function of the state government of North Carolina, United States; it is the highest legal document for the state and subjugates North Carolina law...
which would define marriage as between one man and one woman at one time.
Smith was heavily criticized by the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, including criticisms from then-state party chairman Jerry Meek
Jerry Meek
Jerry Meek is a North Carolina attorney and Democratic Party activist who was the chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party from 2005 through 2009....
, as being an absentee Senator, because Smith missed over 300 votes in 2007, which was over a quarter of all possible voting opportunities.
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
Mike Easley
Michael Francis "Mike" Easley is an American politician who served as the 72nd Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina, from 2001 to 2009. He is member of the North Carolina Democratic Party and became the first North Carolina governor to admit to a felony in a deal that halted a lengthy...
. 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.
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,” started in Haywood County, North Carolina
Haywood County, North Carolina
-National protected areas:* Blue Ridge Parkway * Great Smoky Mountains National Park * Pisgah National Forest -Major Highways & Roads:* Interstate 40* U.S. Highway 19* U.S. Highway 23* U.S. Highway 74* U.S...
on Thursday, August 2, 2007, and ended on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 in Pasquotank County, North Carolina
Pasquotank County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 40,661 people, 13,907 households, and 9,687 families residing in the county. The population density was 154 people per square mile . There were 14,289 housing units at an average density of 63 per square mile...
. Additionally, during these dinners, Smith thanked each attendee upon their exit from the dinner.
On May 6, 2008, Smith pledged full support to Pat McCrory for governor, 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.”