Ralph Smith (Virginia)
Ralph K. Smith (b. July 19, 1942) is a former Republican member of the Virginia State Senate, representing District 19 from 2007 to 2016.
Smith did not seek re-election to the Virginia State Senate in 2015.
Biography
Smith attended Nashville Auto Diesel College. He was the former mayor of Roanoke. Smith is C.E.O. at Ralph Smith, Inc.
Committee assignments
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Smith served on the following committees:
| Virginia committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Education and Health |
| • Local Government, Chair |
| • Privileges and Elections |
| • Rules |
| • Transportation |
2014 legislative session
In the 2014 legislative session, Smith served on the following committees:
| Virginia committee assignments, 2014 |
|---|
| • Local Government, Chair |
| • Education and Health |
| • Privileges and Elections |
| • Transportation |
| • Senate Rules |
2012-2013
In the 2012-2013 legislative session, Smith served on the following committees:
| Virginia committee assignments, 2012 |
|---|
| • Education and Health |
| • Local Government, Chairman |
| • Privileges and Elections |
| • Senate Rules |
| • Transportation |
2010-2011
In the 2010-2011 legislative session, Smith served on the following committees:
| Virginia committee assignments, 2010 |
|---|
| • Local Government |
| • Privileges and Elections |
| • Transportation |
Campaign themes
2011
Smith's website highlighted the following campaign themes:
- Freedom
- Excerpt: "I believe in the core principles of Ronald Reagan: limited government, low taxes and the God-given gift of liberty."
- Taxation
- Excerpt: "I believe the problem is not that we are taxed too little, but that government spends too much. Over the past 10 years, our state budget has doubled."
- The People
- Excerpt: "I believe in the people of Southwest Virginia, not in the power brokers of Northern Virginia or anywhere else."
- Economic Prosperity
- Excerpt: "I believe small businesses are the engine of Virginia’s economy. I ran my own business for 40 years, and as Roanoke’s mayor I led the fight for lower taxes, low-cost air service, regional cooperation and decreased regulation."
- Right to Bear Arms
- Excerpt: "I believe that our Founding Fathers truly meant what they said in the Second Amendment. Government should not pass laws that abridge the citizens’ right to bear arms."
- Faith
- Excerpt: "I believe in God, the sanctity of human life, and the necessity of the Golden Rule."
- Education
- Excerpt: "I believe education is the key to the future of our Commonwealth. However, when it comes to the education of children, I trust parents more than I trust “experts” from the educational establishment."
- Immigration
- Excerpt: "I believe that immigration has made America great. Illegal immigration, on the other hand, is killing us."
- Property Rights
- Excerpt: "I believe that we can be free only to the extent that we can own private property and keep the government from seizing that property."
- Conservative Leadership
- Excerpt: "I believe actions speak louder than words. I am a conservative out of conviction, not convenience, and I believe in voting on principle, not on expediency."
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2011
- See also: Virginia State Senate elections, 2011
On November 8, 2011, Smith won re-election to District 19 of the Virginia State Senate. Due to redistricting, Smith was moved from District 22 to District 19. He was unchallenged in the August 23 primary and ran unopposed in the November 8 general election.[1]
| Virginia State Senate, District 19 General Election, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Ralph Smith |
56.6% | 28,065 | |
| Independent | J. Brandon Bell, II Incumbent | 43.4% | 21,551 | |
| Total Votes | 49,616 | |||
2007
- See also: Virginia State Senate elections, 2007
On Nov. 6, 2007, Smith won election to the 22nd District Seat in the Virginia State Senate, defeating opponent Michael Breiner (D).[2]
Smith raised $391,692 for his campaign while Breiner raised $754,174.[3]
| Virginia State Senate, District 22 (2007) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Ralph Smith (R)
|
21,193 | 50,75% | ||
| Michael Breiner (D) | 20,452 | 48.97% | ||
Campaign finance summary
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Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Virginia scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2015
In 2015, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 14 to February 28, 2015.
- NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia: 2014-2015 Legislative Voting Record
- Legislators are scored based on their voting record on reproductive issues.
- National Federation of Independent Business-Virginia: 2014-2015 voting record
- Legislators are scored based on their votes on small business issues.
- Northern Virginia Chamber Partnership: 2015 Scorecard
- Legislators are scored on their votes on business and quality of life issues.
- The American Conservative Union: 2015 Scorecard
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- The Family Foundation of Virginia: 2014-2015 Report Card
- Legislators are scored by the Family Foundation on their votes on bills related to "principles of life, marriage, parental authority, constitutional government and religious liberty."
- Virginia Chamber of Commerce: 2015 Legislative Report Card
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues during the 2014-2015 legislative session.
- Virginia Chapter Sierra Club: 2015 Scorecard
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the climate and energy.
- Virginia Citizens Defense League: 2015 Scorecard
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the Second Amendment.
- Virginia Education Association: 2015 Scorecard
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- Virginia Free: 2014/2015 Legislator Ratings
- Legislators are scored based on legislation related to business and industry issues.
- Virginia League of Conservation Voters: 2015 Scorecard
- Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental and conservation issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on 16 bills chosen by the Virginia Tea Party Patriots.
2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2014, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 8 through March 10.
|
2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2013, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 9 to February 25.
|
2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2012, the Virginia General Assembly was in regular session from January 11 to March 10.
|
Personal
Smith was born in Roanoke, Virginia, on July 19, 1942.
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Ralph + Smith + Virginia + Senate"
See also
- Virginia State Legislature
- Virginia State Senate
- Virginia Senate Committees
- Virginia state legislative districts
External links
- Sen. Smith's website
- Profile from Open States
- Legislative profile from Project Vote Smart
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign contributions:2007
Footnotes
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bill Stanley |
Virginia Senate District 19 2012-2016 |
Succeeded by David Suetterlein (R) |
| Preceded by J. Bell |
Virginia Senate District 22 2008-2012 |
Succeeded by Thomas Garrett |
