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  Smith, Rod
CANDIDATE DETAILS
AffiliationDemocratic  
  2010-01-01  
 
NameRod Smith
Address
Alachua, Florida , United States
EmailNone
WebsiteNone
Born November 15, 1949 (74 years)
ContributorWishful Thinking
Last ModifedRBH
Jul 09, 2016 01:39am
Tags Caucasian - Married -
InfoRod Smith was born in Southwest City, Missouri, in 1949, just across the state line from his family's home in Oklahoma. Before he reached the age of five, his family moved to Florida where Smith grew up laboring along side his father, a truck farmer, working fields of eggplant and green peppers.

A graduate of the Palm Beach County public schools, Smith earned a B.A. from the University of Tulsa in 1971 and a law degree in 1975 from the University of Florida.

Following law school, he practiced law for seventeen years representing the rights of police officers, firefighters and public employees throughout the state.

In 1992, and again in 1996, Smith was elected State Attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit, in the Gainesville area, where he created the state's first special prosecutions unit to crack down on crimes against women and children. In 1994, Smith gained widespread attention for his successful prosecution of Gainesville serial killer Danny Rolling on charges of first-degree murder for the slayings of five college students.

In 2000 and again in 2002, Smith was elected to represent Florida's 14th Senate District covering nine North Florida counties. In the Senate, he successfully led efforts to strengthen programs to help abused children, fight discrimination in housing, protect the privacy of crime victims, improve the state's crime prevention initiatives, protect a woman's right to choose, and reinforce homeland security. A death penalty supporter, Smith successfully sponsored legislation to ban the execution of mentally retarded persons.

Smith has been the recipient of numerous legislative awards. Among them, in 2002, he received the Florida Police Chiefs Association's Legislative Achievement Award for his efforts to improve public safety and fight crime. And in 2004, he earned the Voices of Children Foundation's MVP Leadership Award in recognition of his efforts on behalf of abused, abandoned and neglected children. Not surprisingly, in 2003, the Miami Herald named Smith the most effective Democrat in the Florida Senate.

Smith is with the law firm of Avera and Avera and also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Florida College of Law where
he teaches constitutional law and trial practice and supervises the prosecution clinic. Smith and his wife, DeeDee, an attorney and advocate for child abuse victims, live on their farm in Alachua County. They have three children.


JOB APPROVAL POLLS
FAVORABILITY POLLS
DateFirmFavorableUnfavorableDon't Know
07/31/2006-08/03/2006 Zogby International 26.00% ( 0.0) 7.00% ( 0.0) 67.00% ( 0.0)

BOOKS
Title Purchase Contributor

EVENTS
Start Date End Date Type Title Contributor

NEWS
Date Category Headline Article Contributor
Dec 06, 2010 01:35pm News Rod Smith gains momentum in bid for state Democratic chairmanship   Article GavinBrown 
Sep 27, 2005 11:00am General Sen. (Rod) Smith misses tax payment on house  Article Thomas Walker 
Aug 19, 2005 09:00am Profile Democrat [Rod Smith] says strength is electability  Article CBlock941 
Jul 18, 2005 08:00am Scandal '99 fraternity sex case has senator [Rod Smith] on defensive  Article CBlock941 
Apr 05, 2005 08:00am News Smith raises $349,000 in 36 days for [Florida] gubernatorial bid  Article CBlock941 

DISCUSSION
Importance? 0.00000 Average

FAMILY

INFORMATION LINKS
RACES
  11/08/2016 FL State Senate 08 Lost 47.39% (-5.22%)
  01/01/2011 Florida Democratic Party Leader Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/02/2010 FL Lieutenant Governor Lost 47.72% (-1.15%)
  08/17/2010 FL Lieutenant Governor - D Nomination Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  09/05/2006 FL Governor - D Primary Lost 41.17% (-6.15%)
  11/05/2002 FL State Senate 14 Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/07/2000 FL State Senate 05 Won 56.55% (+13.20%)
  09/05/2000 FL State Senate 05 - D Primary Won 61.59% (+23.18%)
SPECULATIVE, DID NOT RUN
  08/26/2014 FL Governor - D Primary Lost 0.00% (-74.36%)
ENDORSEMENTS
FL US President - D Primary - Jan 29, 2008 D Hillary Clinton
[FL] REQUIRING BROADER PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS OR REVISIONS - Nov 07, 2006 YES Yes
[Florida] The Medical Liability Claimant's Compensation Amendment - Nov 02, 2004 NO No