Laura Fred-Smith
From Ballotpedia
This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Laura Fred-Smith (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Indiana State Senate to represent District 18. She lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Fred-Smith completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Laura Fred-Smith was born in Kokomo, Indiana. She received an undergraduate degree from Indiana University in 2000 and a graduate degree from Western Governor's University in 2014. Fred-Smith's professional experience includes teaching. She is credentialed to teach middle and high school and received a building administrator's license. Fred-Smith has been affiliated with the Indiana State Teachers Association.[1]
Elections
2020
See also: Indiana State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for Indiana State Senate District 18
Incumbent Stacey Donato defeated Laura Fred-Smith in the general election for Indiana State Senate District 18 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Stacey Donato (R) | 73.2 | 38,223 |
Laura Fred-Smith (D)  | 26.8 | 13,961 | ||
| Total votes: 52,184 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 18
Laura Fred-Smith advanced from the Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 18 on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Laura Fred-Smith | 100.0 | 3,952 | |
| Total votes: 3,952 | |||
| = 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
Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 18
Incumbent Stacey Donato advanced from the Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 18 on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Stacey Donato | 100.0 | 11,272 |
| Total votes: 11,272 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Laura Fred-Smith completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Fred-Smith's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I am a lifelong resident of Cass County, and have been a public educator for 19 years. I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 24 years and have two sons. As the daughter of a union electrician and a nurse, I know well the value of a strong middle class and what it's like to wake up every day and be accountable to a greater cause.
I believe in the power of the working class. It is the working class that provides us of our needed services and supports our way of living. By supporting our working class by providing for a livable wage and provide for the proper mental health for all Hoosiers.
- Livable wages
- Protect public schools
- Protect Public schools
I am passionate about protecting our public schools. As a public school teacher, I see the community services that a school provides. Charter schools have a lower graduation pass rate than their public school counterparts and have been proven fraudulent in many cases.
I am passionate about taking care of our working class. In the counties I represent, a single person living on their own needs to make a minimum of $9.45 per hour. This is more than two dollars an hour more than current minimum wage. Yet, the state has declined to pass bills that would increase this wage.Protecting the environment for future generations is important not only to help combat global warming, but also to ensure that Indiana forests are protected for future generations to enjoy.
I believe in protecting our mothers and infants. In Indiana, the infant mortality and motherhood mortality rates are some of the highest in the nation. Yet again, the GOP super majority declined to pass legislation that could provide health care to some of our poorest mothers.
I believe in mental health access to all. Indiana has a higher suicide rate in age groups from 14-65 than the national level. While there has been some gains in mental health access through tele-medicine, there are still areas that need work.
I look up to my mother. She is strong and never lets her life experiences stop her from continuing to work, even when she should probably take a break.
I would like to follow Barack Obama's example and that of Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez. I believe in their political ideologies as well as the way they believe in the power of the people to make change in their own communities,
I would like to follow Barack Obama's example and that of Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez. I believe in their political ideologies as well as the way they believe in the power of the people to make change in their own communities,
I am responsible, fair, and tenacious. I complete every task I am given even if it is hard. I graduated high school and college even as a teen mother, even while working full time. I treat everyone with fairness and kindness, even if they don't treat me the same.
I think elected officials should keep in mind that they are elected to represent the people in their district and they should always keep the best interest of those people in mind. The people that elected us to our positions should always be thought of whenever we make any decisions that may effect their livelihood.
I want people to remember me as someone who tried to make life better for those in her community, and as a teacher who always listened to her students and cared about their struggles.
I remember watching the Challenger explode at its launch. I was sick at home from school and was watching it on the television at my babysitters house. I was eight years old.
My very first job was delivering newspapers, I did this for one year. My second job that I consider a real job was as a carhop at a local hot dog and ice cream stand. On my very first day there, I was cleaning the steam table, and was asked to throw a cleaning rag to someone across the kitchen. I threw it too high, it hit the light fixture in the ceiling and knocked a light bulb out that crashed to the floor. I was lucky I was not fired right there.
To Kill a Mocking Bird- Harper Lee
I identify with Scout. I never understood racism my self, though I have been called many racist terms, even though I am white. I have always been a tom boy and never liked my given name and would rather go by my nickname. To Kill A Mockingbird was the first book I was made to read in High school that I actually liked.
I identify with Scout. I never understood racism my self, though I have been called many racist terms, even though I am white. I have always been a tom boy and never liked my given name and would rather go by my nickname. To Kill A Mockingbird was the first book I was made to read in High school that I actually liked.
Wonder Woman- Fights for truth, justice and the American way. Although, I would like to change her outfit.
Happier- Marshmellow ft. Bastille
I was a teen mother. I had to work full time to pay for daycare and go to school with a young son. But with the help of an amazing family I made it. I have severe migraines, but I get up and go to work everyday to try and help my students, many who do not speak English do the best they can in their 8th grade science class. I try to live my life thankful for all that I have been given, because although I have had to struggle and though my head hurts, there are people out there who have it worse than me.
I believe that the House and the Senate are different in the types of bills that they propose and the overall outlook they have on the state. In the House, representatives are elected by a smaller subset of Hoosiers. This often leads to proposed legislation that is very targeted to specific areas or demographics. The constituents in a House seat, like to see that their issue is heard and on a smaller scale they can see movement.
A Senate district is much larger. My district covers portions of seven House seats. This allows for a wider range of ideas, issues, and opinions that may affect a larger portion of the state. Senators are able to see how the bills that they propose affect a larger portion of the state and can effect the lives of more Hoosiers. This puts greater responsibility on their shoulders.
A Senate district is much larger. My district covers portions of seven House seats. This allows for a wider range of ideas, issues, and opinions that may affect a larger portion of the state. Senators are able to see how the bills that they propose affect a larger portion of the state and can effect the lives of more Hoosiers. This puts greater responsibility on their shoulders.
I believe that a state legislator should have a passion to learn, if they do not have the government background. Many career politicians do not have the best interest of the everyday Hoosier in the forefront of their mind, but if an everyday person enters the world of politics, they bring their everyday experiences with them. It is easier to learn the business of government and politics than it is to learn the life experience of an everyday Hoosier and the struggles they may have living in the conditions proposed by the legislation passed by career politicians.
Our greatest challenge is meeting the needs of our workers in a digital age. Many of our factory workers need training in new technologies. Many of our students are training for jobs that do not exist yet because the technologies are changing faster than we can keep up with. Teachers are trying to teach in classrooms that are not well funded, and in classrooms where more and more students do not have English as their first language. Meeting the needs of our students and our workers in the digital age is a challenge that the state is going to have to look into managing.
I believe that the Governor and the General Assembly should work to solve the states problems together. This does not mean passing every bill that comes across. This means debating bills that need changed in a respectful and intelligent manner. It means working to solve problems regardless of party affiliation. It means coming together even if both sides disagree to compromise to find solutions for all Hoosiers.
Yes. All Legislators regardless of party are on the same side, the side of all Hoosiers. We work to make Indiana a state in which all people can live and work together to achieve their goals. Party does not and should not matter when their are problems that need solving, only solutions matter.
I would like to be part of the Education Committee and Health and Human Services,
I would love to be considered for any leadership role, in any capacity. I like the thought of being a change maker.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 19, 2020
Current members of the Indiana State Senate
Leadership
Majority Leader:Chris Garten
Senators
District 1
Dan Dernulc (R)
District 2
Lonnie Randolph (D)
District 3
Mark Spencer (D)
District 4
Rodney Pol (D)
District 5
Ed Charbonneau (R)
District 6
Rick Niemeyer (R)
District 7
Brian Buchanan (R)
District 8
Mike Bohacek (R)
District 9
Ryan Mishler (R)
District 10
David Niezgodski (D)
District 11
Linda Rogers (R)
District 12
Blake Doriot (R)
District 13
Susan Glick (R)
District 14
Tyler Johnson (R)
District 15
Liz Brown (R)
District 16
Justin Busch (R)
District 17
Andy Zay (R)
District 18
Stacey Donato (R)
District 19
Travis Holdman (R)
District 20
Scott Baldwin (R)
District 21
James Buck (R)
District 22
Ronnie Alting (R)
District 23
Spencer Deery (R)
District 24
Brett Clark (R)
District 25
Mike Gaskill (R)
District 26
Scott Alexander (R)
District 27
Jeff Raatz (R)
District 28
Michael Crider (R)
District 29
J.D. Ford (D)
District 30
Fady Qaddoura (D)
District 31
Kyle Walker (R)
District 32
Aaron Freeman (R)
District 33
Greg Taylor (D)
District 34
District 35
Michael Young (R)
District 36
Cyndi Carrasco (R)
District 37
Rodric Bray (R)
District 38
Greg Goode (R)
District 39
Eric Bassler (R)
District 40
Shelli Yoder (D)
District 41
Greg Walker (R)
District 42
Jean Leising (R)
District 43
Randy Maxwell (R)
District 44
Eric Koch (R)
District 45
Chris Garten (R)
District 46
Andrea Hunley (D)
District 47
Gary Byrne (R)
District 48
Daryl Schmitt (R)
District 49
Jim Tomes (R)
District 50
Vaneta Becker (R)
Republican Party (40)
Democratic Party (10)
