Walter Smith (North Carolina)

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Walter Smith

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

March 3, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

North Carolina State University, 1976

Personal

Birthplace

Lumberton, N.C.

Religion

Baptist

Profession

Farmer

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Personal Facebook

Walter Smith (Democratic Party) ran for election for North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture. He lost in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2020.

Smith completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Smith was a 2016 Democratic candidate for North Carolina commissioner of agriculture. He was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. He was defeated in the general election on November 8, 2016.

Biography

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Walter Smith was born in Lumberton, North Carolina. He taught Vocational Agriculture after graduating from North Carolina State University in 1976. He then worked for 32 years with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and has served as the Mayor of Boonville. Smith has been associated with the Alpha Gamma Sigma Society, the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation, the Green Rural Redevelopment Organization, the Farm Bureau State Hemp Advisory Committee, the NC State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Alumni Board, the Yadkin County Voluntary Agriculture District Board, the North Carolina Agribusiness Council, the Yadkin County Farm Bureau Poultry Committee, the Yadkin County Extension Service Leadership Advisory Council, the Yadkin Rotary Club, and the Yadkin Chamber of Commerce.

Education

Smith earned a B.S. in agricultural engineering from North Carolina State University.

Elections

2020

See also: North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner election, 2020

General election

General election for North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture

Incumbent Steve Troxler defeated Jenna Wadsworth in the general election for North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Steve Troxler (R)	53.9	2,901,849
		Jenna Wadsworth (D)	46.1	2,485,722

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,387,571
= 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 North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture

Jenna Wadsworth defeated Walter Smith and Donovan Alexander Watson in the Democratic primary for North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jenna Wadsworth	54.0	609,910
		Walter Smith	30.5	344,111
		Donovan Alexander Watson	15.5	175,207

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,129,228
= 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 Steve Troxler advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture.

2016

See also: North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner election, 2016

Smith filed paperwork with the North Carolina State Board of Elections on December 1, 2015, declaring him a candidate for the North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner 2016 election. He was unopposed for the Democratic nomination and therefore did not appear on the March 15 primary ballot. He competed with incumbent Commissioner Steve Troxler (R), who won the Republican primary election, in the November 8 general election.

Incumbent Steve Troxler defeated Walter Smith in the North Carolina agriculture commissioner election.

North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Steve Troxler Incumbent	55.62%	2,498,988
	Democratic	Walter Smith	44.38%	1,994,038
Total Votes				4,493,026
Source: ABC11

2012

See also: North Carolina down ballot state executive elections, 2012

Smith ran for North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture in 2012. He defeated Scott Bryant in the Democratic primary on May 8 and lost to Republican incumbent Steve Troxler in the general election on November 6, 2012.

North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture General Election, 2012
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Walter Smith	46.8%	2,025,054
	Republican	Steve Troxler Incumbent	53.2%	2,303,586
Total Votes				4,328,640
Election results via NC State Board of Elections

North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner, Democratic Primary, 2012
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Walter Smith	55.1%	424,287
Scott Bryant	44.9%	345,644
Total Votes		769,931
Election results via The North Carolina Board of Elections.

Issue positions

In an essay to the Charlotte Observer, Smith stated:
"As commissioner there are several issues I will focus on, such as making the food and consumer safety division a high priority, keeping all the Agricultural Research Stations open, cutting red tape in NCDA by reviewing applications, procedures and regulations required of farmers and agribusinesses in order to simplify them to make them easier to understand and follow, and encouraging our farms and agribusinesses to 'Go Green.'"
"We are losing farms and farmland at an alarming rate. I will work with our Land Grant Universities to target potential new farmers and provide them with the resources to help them get started in farming and find crops that can be grown profitably on their farms. I will also establish a hotline for farmers, agribusiness owners and consumers to call with any concerns, problems or suggestions. I will make the Dept. of Agriculture the most responsive agency in state government."

Endorsements

• Independent Weekly

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Walter Smith completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. 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.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a farmer. I live in Yadkin County. I grow Industrial Hemp. I grew up on a family farm where I worked after school and during the summer. That farm put clothes on our back and food on our table. I learned many valuable lessons growing up on a farm. I learned that hard work builds character, that a dose of common sense should be a part of every solution, to treat others with compassion and respect, and to enjoy the simple things in life. I have a BS in Agricultural Engineering, taught high school agriculture, spent 30 years with the US Dept of Agriculture managing a field office administering federal agriculture programs and working directly with the farmers. I sit on several state agricultural boards and committees and have agricultural contacts from the mountains to the coast. I spent all last summer and fall lobbying the state legislature to protect the hemp industry in North Carolina. As Commissioner I am going to address issues that the Agriculture Dept. has not adequately addressed or has never addressed. Issues such as Climate Change, Immigration Reform, Legalizing Medical Marijuana, Saving Family Farms, Revitalizing Rural Communities, Ensuring Everyone is Treated Fairly and has Equal Opportunity, Protecting Domesticated Animals, Protecting the Environment, Keeping our Food Supply Safe, and Addressing Food Insecurity. In addition to my agricultural background I was President of USDA Farm Service Agency State Employees Association and was elected Mayor.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• To effectively address many of the issues listed above it will take legislative changes. As President of the USDA Employees Association I lobbied Congress. I spent last year lobbying the NC State Legislature for the hemp industry. As Mayor of a rural town in North Carolina I was in constant contact with our elected officials. I have the skills to work with our state representatives and federal representatives to get changes made.

• I am working hard to revitalize and strengthen socially distressed rural communities. I have spent years working with minority leaders and organizations. I have been endorsed by Phillip Farland who broke barriers by being the first African American appointed to lead the US Dept. of Agriculture Farm Service Agency in North Carolina. I have the endorsement of the Raleigh Wake Citizens Association and the Guilford County Community PAC., both of which advocate for public policy that positively affects minority and underserved communities. I am on the Board of GRRO, a minority non-profit that is revitalizing blighted areas by putting micro farms on them and teaching residents how to grow and market organic crops.

• I am a real farmer working to solve real problems. Several issues will require farmers to make changes to their farming operations. Even though these changes will benefit the farmer and North Carolina they will be reluctant to make them if they do not trust the Commissioner of Agriculture. I have spent my entire life in agriculture and as a public servant. I am one of them. I think they will put their trust in me because they know I will not ask them to do anything that I would not do myself.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Climate change, protecting domesticated animals and legalizing medical cannabis. Climate change has the most adverse effect on agriculture than any other industry. We need legislation to address climate change . North Carolina has been trying for years to pass a bill regulating small animal breeders. We have many good ethical breeders but we also have our share of "Puppy Mills." We need common sense regulations to stop the inhumane treatment of these dogs. We need to legalize medical cannabis. Thirty three states have already legalized medical cannabis. There are so many people suffering from severe and terminal illnesses and this is the only drug that will relieve their symptoms. It will give farmers an alternative crop they can profit from and add much needed tax revenue for North Carolina.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

The mission of the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is to provide services that promote and improve agriculture, agribusiness and forests; protect consumers and businesses; and conserve farmland and natural resources for the prosperity of all North Carolinians. it is unique because it touches the daily life of North Carolinians more than any other department of the state government.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

They should always remember that they are elected to serve the people and not the other way around. They should have integrity and treat everyone the same.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I believe everyone should be treated equally and with respect. I will make decisions based on what benefits the citizens of North Carolina and not based on partisan politics and special interest groups. I believe that elected officials should be accessible and accountable to the public.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

When John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I was in grade school and his death was announced over the loudspeaker.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

The song Reunited by Peaches and Herb. That was the song that was playing when I proposed to my wife. She passed away a few years ago and every time I hear it I can't get it out of my head.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

The Commissioner of Agriculture is a member of the Council of State. The Council of State is the collective group of officials that make up the state's executive branch of government and it is provided for under Article III of the state constitution establishing the executive branch. The Council of State has a number of powers, including the authority to call for additional legislative special sessions (outside of the normal legislative calendar) and the power to make decisions about selling state property and taking on loans.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

It can be beneficial to have experience in government or politics, but I think it is just as important to possess the knowledge and ability needed to carry out the duties of the office.

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.

2016

Smith's campaign themes included a broad range of issues, including support for rural and family farms, animal welfare legislation, and food safety. His website stated that if elected, he will "bring back the rural family values that [North Carolina] was built on."

Campaign finance summary

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See also

2020 Elections

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Government

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Newsletters

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External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic
• Official campaign website
• Smith's answers to Indy Week's candidate questionnaire