Jeff Smith (Wisconsin politician)

Jeffrey E. "Jeff" Smith (born March 15, 1955) is an American politician and member of the Wisconsin State Senate. A member of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, he represents District 31, which streatches from Eau Claire to Prescott to Black River Falls.

Jeff Smith
Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 31st district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 7, 2019
Preceded by	Kathleen Vinehout
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 93rd district
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Robin Kreibich
Succeeded by	Warren Petryk
Personal details
Born	March 15, 1955 Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Susan
Children	2
Residence	Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Alma mater	North High School
Occupation	Former small business owner

Early life

Smith graduated from North High School in Eau Claire in 1973 and then took up his father's window-cleaning company, which he ran until he sold it in 2011.[1]

Political career

Smith served on the town board for the Town of Brunswick and was chair of the board. He founded the Parent Advisory Committee for the Eau Claire School District. Because of that work, he was appointed by Governor Jim Doyle to serve on the Task Force on Educational Excellence in 2003.[2] Smith also served as the co-chair of the Eau Claire County Democratic Party.[3] He is a member of the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce and Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters.[4]

Smith was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2006, unseating the Republican incumbent Robin Kreibich.[5] He was the chair of the Elections and Campaign Reform Committee and a member of five other committees: Colleges and Universities, Financial Institutions, Education, Renewable Energy and Rural Affairs, and Public Safety.[5]

Smith sponsored Assembly Bill 119, which established five-year-old Kindergarten as a prerequisite to first grade in public and charter schools; Assembly Bill 250, which created licensing requirements for dog sellers and animal shelters, and Assembly Bill 276, which divided the UW System Board of Regents into seven geographical districts.[6]

Based on lifetime voting records on gun issues and the results of a questionnaire sent to all Congressional candidates in 2008, the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund assigned Smith a grade of C (with grades ranging from a high of A+ to a low of F). Based on a point system, with points assigned for actions in support of or in opposition to the AFL-CIO, Smith received a rating of 100. NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin gave Smith a rating of one-hundred percent on abortion-related issues.[7] In 2010, Smith earned a 100% rating from the Wisconsin League of Conservation voters.[8]

In February 2010, Smith received a Humane State Legislator award from The Humane Society of the United States, which recognized him for his efforts to pass The Dog Breeders Licensure Bill, which regulates large-scale puppy breeding operations, commonly referred to as "puppy mills."[9]

Democratic party chair candidacy

In 2015, Smith was a candidate for chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin (DPW), facing Jason Rae, Martha Laning, Joe Wineke, and Stephen Smith. If elected DPW Chair, Smith said he’d make it a priority to engage county parties and empower them to be more proactive.

During the campaign, Smith's campaign penned a letter that criticized Laning for her lack of experience and offered her the post of DPW Executive Director if Smith were to be elected chair.[10] Laning publicly stated that she had refused Smith’s offer and criticized Smith for mentioning the offer in campaign literature.[11] Shortly after the letter controversy, Smith wrote an open letter dropping out of the race and asking his supporters to support Laning.[12]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Senate, 31st District Election, 2018

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
Primary Election[13]
	Democratic	Jeff Smith	8,643	49.94
	Democratic	Steve Boe	4,503	26.02
	Democratic	Jon W. Schultz	4,151	23.98
		Write-ins	10	0.06
Total votes			17,307	100.0
General Election[14]
	Democratic	Jeff Smith	40,073	51.67
	Republican	Mel Pittman	35,684	46.01
	Green	Aaron Elaine Camacho	1,776	2.29
		Write-ins	28	0.04
Total votes			77,561	100.0

Wisconsin Assembly, 93rd District Election, 2014[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Warren Petryk (Incumbent)	13,367	55.40
	Democratic	Jeff Smith	10,749	44.55
		Write-ins	14	0.06
Total votes			24,130	100.0

Wisconsin Assembly, 93rd District Election, 2012[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Warren Petryk (Incumbent)	15,612	50.78
	Democratic	Jeff Smith	15,114	49.16
		Write-ins	16	0.05
Total votes			30,742	100.0

Wisconsin Assembly, 93rd District Election, 2010[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Warren Petryk	11,080	50.12
	Democratic	Jeff Smith (Incumbent)	11,006	49.79
		Write-ins	19	0.09
Total votes			22,105	100.0

Wisconsin Assembly, 93rd District Election, 2008[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jeff Smith (Incumbent)	19,276	59.35
	Republican	Darcy Fields	13,161	40.52
		Write-ins	42	0.13
Total votes			32,479	100.0

Wisconsin Assembly, 93rd District Election, 2006[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jeff Smith	11,872	50.62
	Republican	Rob Kreibich (Incumbent)	11,565	49.31
		Write-ins	15	0.06
Total votes			23,452	100.0

References

1. "Senator Jeff Smith Biography". Retrieved 21 October 2020.
2. "Wispolitics" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-12-08. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
3. "Jeffrey Smith's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
4. "Individual Members". Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
5. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (comp.). State of Wisconsin 2009-2010 Blue Book. Madison: Joint Committee on Legislative Organization, 2009, p. 81.
6. "Smith, Sen. Jeff (31st Sen.Dist.; D)". Wisconsin State Legislature. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
7. http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=51946
8. "League of Conservation Voters Scorecard 2010" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
9. "Rep. Jeff Smith Receives Humane Legislator Award". WQOW. 25 February 2010. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
10. https://us10.campaign-archive.com/?u=a1cad923c938cf6db2dfe7cfe&id=d30a2508fe
11. Laning, Martha. "An Important Clarification". Martha Laning Democratic Party Chair.
12. Kissinger, Meg (4 June 2015). "Jeff Smith drops out of race for Dem Party chairmanship". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
13. Canvass Results for 2018 Partisan Primary (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. August 14, 2018. p. 28. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
14. Canvass Results for 2018 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. November 6, 2018. p. 9. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
15. Canvass Results for 2014 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. November 24, 2014. p. 29-30. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
16. Canvass Results for 2012 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 26, 2012. p. 30-31. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
17. Canvass Results for 2010 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2010. p. 32. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
18. Canvass Results for 2008 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2008. p. 32. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
19. Canvass Results for 2006 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 5, 2006. p. 42. Retrieved October 20, 2020.

External links

• Profile at Vote Smart
• Follow the Money - Jeff Smith
  • 2008 2006 2004 campaign contributions
• Campaign 2008 campaign contributions at Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
• "Wisconsin State Assembly Election", 2012