Your feedback ensures we stay focused on the facts that matter to you most—take our survey.
Garry Smith (Arkansas)
Garry Smith (Democratic Party) was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, representing District 7.
Smith (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Arkansas State Senate to represent District 2. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Smith is a former Democratic member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, representing District 7 from 2009 to 2013. Smith was a 2016 Democratic candidate for District 7 of the Arkansas House of Representatives. He represented the district from 2009 to 2013. Smith served as a Justice of the Peace, District Number 1, in Ouachita County.
Biography
Smith's professional experience includes working as an Adjunct Professor of Economics at Southern Arkansas University Technical Institute, Camden and owning Garry's Plumbing and Electric, Incorporated.
Smith was a member of the Ouachita County Farm Bureau, Ouachita County Fire District Number 1 Board of Directors, Treasurer of the Ouachita County Cattleman's Association, Instructor - Arkansas Hunter Education Volunteer and a Master Mason, Camden Lodge Number 1.[1]
Committee assignments
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Smith served on these committees:
- Subcommittee on Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources
- Subcommittee on Peer Review
- Joint Energy Committee, Arkansas Assembly
- Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee, Arkansas House
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Smith served on these committees:
- City, County and Local Affairs Committee, Arkansas House
- Public Transportation Committee, Arkansas House
- Subcommittee on Local Government Personnel (Vice Chair)
- Subcommittee on Waterways and Aeronautics
Issues
Lowery's answers to the Arkansas State Legislative Election 2008 Political Courage Test are available. The test informs voters how a candidate would vote on the issues if elected. He did not provide a response when asked his legislative priorities.[2]
Sponsored legislation
Smith's sponsored legislation included:
- HB 1026 - "TO REQUIRE THAT A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE OIL AND GAS COMMISSION BE EXPERIENCED IN THE DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION, AND TRANSPORTATION OF OIL AND GAS."
- HB 1266 - "AN ACT CONCERNING DEATH AND DISABILITY BENEFITS FOR POLICE OFFICERS KILLED OR INJURED IN THE LINE OF DUTY."
Elections
2022
See also: Arkansas State Senate elections, 2022
General election
General election for Arkansas State Senate District 2
Matt Stone defeated Garry Smith in the general election for Arkansas State Senate District 2 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Matt Stone (R) | 67.8 | 17,791 |
 | Garry Smith (D) | 32.2 | 8,466 | |
| Total votes: 26,257 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Garry Smith advanced from the Democratic primary for Arkansas State Senate District 2.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Arkansas State Senate District 2
Matt Stone defeated Beth Callaway and James McMenis in the Republican primary for Arkansas State Senate District 2 on May 24, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Matt Stone | 65.9 | 5,501 |
| Beth Callaway | 23.1 | 1,927 | ||
| James McMenis | 11.0 | 915 | ||
| Total votes: 8,343 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2020
See also: Arkansas State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for Arkansas State Senate District 27
Incumbent Trent Garner defeated Keidra Burrell in the general election for Arkansas State Senate District 27 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Trent Garner (R) | 61.1 | 19,892 |
 | Keidra Burrell (D) | 38.9 | 12,677 | |
| Total votes: 32,569 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Arkansas State Senate District 27
Keidra Burrell defeated Garry Smith in the Democratic primary for Arkansas State Senate District 27 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Keidra Burrell | 66.3 | 4,582 |
| Garry Smith | 33.7 | 2,324 | |
| Total votes: 6,906 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Trent Garner advanced from the Republican primary for Arkansas State Senate District 27.
2016
Ballotpedia's analysis revealed that only 42 of the 100 seats up for election in 2016 involved competition between Democrats and Republicans. This made it numerically impossible for Democrats to take control of either Arkansas legislative chamber in 2016.
The reason for the low competition was that candidates were in safe districts for their parties. Between 1972 and 2014, an upward trend in uncontested state legislative elections occurred.
The Democratic Party of Arkansas focused its 2016 efforts on the state’s House of Representatives. Without the numbers to win the state Senate, H.L. Moody, communications director for the Democratic Party of Arkansas, told Ballotpedia that the party’s goal was to “start building back where we can,” beginning with the House.
Ballotpedia spoke to political analyst Richard Winger, who said that the early primary deadline for the 2016 elections was a possible factor as well, making it difficult for Democrats to recruit candidates early.
The primary election was held on March 1, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing period began at noon local time on November 2, 2015, and ended at noon local time on November 9, 2015.[3] Incumbent John Baine (D) did not seek re-election.
Sonia Eubanks Barker defeated Floyd Thomas, Jr. and Glenn Glover in the Arkansas House of Representatives District 7 general election.[4]
| Arkansas House of Representatives, District 7 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Sonia Eubanks Barker |
54.80% | 5,606 | |
| Democratic | Floyd Thomas, Jr. | 37.41% | 3,827 | |
| Independent | Glenn Glover | 7.78% | 796 | |
| Total Votes | 10,229 | |||
| Source: Arkansas Secretary of State | ||||
Floyd Thomas, Jr. defeated Garry Smith in the Arkansas House of Representatives District 7 Democratic Primary.[5][6]
| Arkansas House of Representatives, District 7 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Floyd Thomas, Jr. |
61.01% | 2,042 | |
| Democratic | Garry Smith | 38.99% | 1,305 | |
| Total Votes | 3,347 | |||
Sonia Eubanks Barker ran unopposed in the Arkansas House of Representatives District 7 Republican Primary.[5][6]
| Arkansas House of Representatives, District 7 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Sonia Eubanks Barker (unopposed) | |
2012
- See also: Arkansas State Senate elections, 2012
Following redistricting, Smith was placed in the same district as fellow Democratic incumbent David Fielding. Rather than compete in the primary, Smith instead chose to run for election to the Arkansas State Senate, District 27. He was defeated by representative Bobby Pierce in the May 22 Democratic primary.[7][8]
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Bobby Pierce |
52.1% | 3,648 |
| Garry Smith | 47.9% | 3,350 |
| Total Votes | 6,998 | |
2010
Smith won re-election to the 7th District seat in 2010. He faced no opposition.[9]
2008
On November 4, 2008, Smith won election to the 7th district seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives, running unopposed in the general election.[10]
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Garry Smith did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Garry Smith did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
Arkansas’s Freedom Scorecard
The Advance Arkansas Institute, an Arkansas-based nonprofit research and educational organization, released Arkansas's Freedom Scorecard in 2012 and 2013. The scorecard graded legislators based on how they voted on the principles the group sought to promote. The group identified the following six categories as interest areas tracked by this scorecard: "economic freedom, education reform, good government, personal liberty, small government, and tax/budget policy." Scores range from 100 percent (the highest score) to 0 percent (the lowest score). A higher score indicates that the legislator voted more in favor of the values supported by this group.[11] Smith received a score of 43 percent in the 2012 scorecard, ranking 96th out of 97 members of the Arkansas House of Representatives that were evaluated for the study. Smith received a score of 39% in the 2013 scorecard, ranking 95th out of 99 members of the Arkansas House of Representatives that were evaluated for the study.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
|
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography," accessed December 4, 2014
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Issue positions," accessed December 4, 2014
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "2016 Election Dates," accessed November 17, 2015
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "2016 General Election and Nonpartisan Runoff Election," accessed November 23, 2016
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Arkansas Secretary of State, "Candidate Information," accessed July 25, 2016
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Arkansas Secretary of State, "2016 Primary Election Results," accessed April 19, 2016
- ↑ [http://www.swtimes.com/state_news/article_669ff63a-ba5e-11e0-96de-001cc4c002e0.html Southwest Times, "State District Maps OK’d," July 30, 2011.
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Arkansas State Primary Election, May 22, 2012," accessed July 11, 2012 (dead link)
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Official election results," accessed December 13, 2013
- ↑ VoteNaturally.org, "2008 general election results, Arkansas," November 4, 2008
- ↑ Advance Arkansas Institute, "Arkansas’s Freedom Scorecard 2012," accessed January 14, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by ' |
Arkansas House District 7 2009–2013 |
Succeeded by John Baine (D) |
