Rico Smith (Oklahoma)
Rico Smith (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Oklahoma State Senate to represent District 48. He lost in the Democratic primary on June 28, 2022.
Smith completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Rico Smith was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Oklahoma in 2017 and a graduate degree from George Washington University in 2018. His career experience includes working as a small business owner. Smith has been affiliated with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Restore OKC, Meals on Wheels, and Inclusion in Art.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: Oklahoma State Senate elections, 2022
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Oklahoma State Senate District 48
Incumbent George Young won election outright against Rico Smith in the Democratic primary for Oklahoma State Senate District 48 on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | George Young | 73.9 | 5,887 |
 | Rico Smith  | 26.1 | 2,081 | |
| Total votes: 7,968 | |||
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Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Rico Smith completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by 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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With young parents in and out of the criminal justice system, Rico was raised primarily by both sets of grandparents. Being exposed firsthand, Rico experienced the realities of a broken criminal justice system. Rico grew up with focus on how law could change be used to change people's lives.
This passion for law and justice inspired Rico to go to college—becoming the first male in his family to graduate after attending Oklahoma City Community College and the University of Oklahoma. In 2018, Rico received a Masters degree from the George Washington Univeristy's School of Political Management where he studied under prominent political professionals—both Republicans and Democrats. While in Washington, Rico gained valuable work experience working at established Democratic firms in digital, fundraising and research.
Rico returned to Oklahoma City after a brief stay in our Nation's Capitol where he launched a love-of-State brand with products sold all over the state of Oklahoma and the United States.
Rico maintains a membership in Oklahoma City's chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and volunteers with Meals on Wheels, Restore OKC and Ebenezer Baptist Church food giveaways among many other organizations.- As a Seantor with small business experience, Rico will work to expand the Quality Jobs Program to make sure local owned small businesses looking to hire their first employees can do so while providing good paying jobs to our community.
- When elected, Rico will work to establish new needs-based funding formulas to ensure all of our students are able to achieve high academic success. Rico will fight for more financial eligibility for the Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant Program.
- As an advocate for Worker's Rights, Rico will fight to establish fair working standards for all Oklahomans including a living wages with family and medical leave.
Small Business Development
Public Safety
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
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 8, 2022
