Bob Smither for Texas State House CD-22 Campaign 2006

Introduction

This entry is intended to document the race for Congressional District 22 in Texas. It is hoped that this information might be useful to other LP candidates. Also, refer to Wellerd blog for news clippings in support of election 2006 Libertarian Party Congressional candidates, which began in May, 2006. Bob Smither was the Libertarian candidate in this race.

Nomination

There was a meeting in Houston on December 3, 2005, to select candidates for office for the 2006 election cycle. The announcement from the Texas Executive Director, Wes Benedict, follows:

Come witness and celebrate the official announcements

of nearly 30 Greater Houston Area

Texans seeking the Libertarian Party's nomination for

the November 2006 elections.

Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty,

Montgomery, Waller, and surrounding counties included.

Date: December 3, 2005

Time: 4 PM to 6 PM (candidates for office should arrive at 3 PM)

Restaurant:

Hickory Hollow Restaurant

101 Heights Blvd

Houston, TX 77007

(713) 869-6300

http://hickoryhollowrestaurant.com/

Drinks and food available for purchase

3 PM: Candidates for office should arrive at 3 PM to have their

nomination forms reviewed and notarized for free.

We'll also be snapping free digital photos of each candidate for our

website, and for the candidates' use. So candidates, please dress

professionally!

4 PM: Between 4 PM and 5 PM we'll give each candidate about 2 minutes

to introduce themselves and announce the office they are seeking.

5 PM: Updates on the Libertarian Party of Texas, instructions for the

March precinct and county conventions, and plans for the November 2006

election cycle.

I hope to see you there!

--

Wes Benedict

Executive Director

Libertarian Party of Texas

512-442-4910

Four persons attended this meeting wanting to run in Congressional District 22 (Tom DeLay's seat in Congress for more than 20 years).

After some discussion, two candidates decided to seek other offices and two candidates, Stan Norred and Bob Smither, applied to run for the LP nomination.

The nomination for CD-22 took place March 25th at the University of Houston. Each candidate was given 10 minutes to speak and there was a Q&A session following the presentations. Bob Smither was nominated to represent the LP in CD-22.

Events

Smither was invited to many candidate events during the election cycle. Among them were:

August 18, 2006, 4PM - Fort Bend LP Executive Meeting.

August 20, 2006, 1PM - Ron Paul Bar-B-Que, Texas City.

August 20, 2006, 3PM - Campaign Coffee arranged by Judy Baker, Friendswood, Texas.

August 20, 2006, 5PM - Texas Republican Liberty Caucus meeting.

August 22, 2006, 7PM - Political Issues Forum presented by Texas City - La Marque Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee. Attending were ? - representing Ron Paul (District 14), Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (Republican write-in candidate, District 22), Shane Sklar (Democrat candidate, District 14), Bob Smither (Libertarian candidate, District 22), and Nick Lampson (Democrat candidate, District 22).

September 2-3, 2006 - Pasadena Gun Show - voter registration table.

September 7, 2006, 10AM - Interviewed by KPRC-TV at home.

September 9, 2006, 11AM - 3 minute speech at dedication of new firestation in Seabrook, Texas.

September 9, 2006, 5:30PM - Shrimp Fest in Sugarland.

September 12, 2006, 4:30PM - Interview with Charles Kuffner, local liberal blogger.

September 16, 2006, 4:30PM - Featured Speaker at Common Ground event organized by the Harris County Libertarian Party. Participants included representatives from the Libertarian, Green, Constitution, and Reform parties. Speakers included State and County chairs from each party, David Cobb (2004 presidential candidate, Green Party), Michael Badnarik (2004 presidential candidate and 2006 congressional candidate, Libertarian Party), and Bob Smither (2006 congressional candidate, Libertarian Party).

September 20, 2006, 11:45AM - attend Friendswood Rotary as a guest.

September 21, 2006, 3:15PM - Interview with Caitlin Gorback, student at Clear Lake High School, at home.

September 27, 2006, 9AM - meet students at Houston Community College, Stafford.

September 29, 2006, 10AM - photo session with student photographer at home.

September 29, 2006, 1:30PM - interview with Sarah Evans, editor of the Friendswood Reporter News, at home.

September 30, 2006 - Fort Bend County Fair

September 30, 2006, 8-9PM - Interview on Live and Let Live TV show in Austin.

Date: ? - Candidates Forum at the George Memorial Library, Richmond, Texas. Joe Reasbeck and Smither made presentations at the scheduled time. SSG showed up much later and was allowed to present. She left immediately after her short speech.

October 1, 2006 - Fort Bend County Fair

October 3, 2006, 6PM - Candidate Forum, Pearland Area Chamber of Commerce Governmental Relations Sub-Team. Held at Pearland High School. Smither shared the stage at the designated time with Don Richardson (Republican write in candidate for CD-22). SSG showed up about an hour late, but was allowed to present and answer questions. The chamber provided instructions on how to write in a candidate on the eSlate machines.

October 5, 2006, 11:30AM - Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce lunch at Sweet Water Country Club in Sugar Land. Lampson, SSG, and Smither were invited to present short speeches. Republican write in candidate Joe Reasbeck attended, but was not invited to speak.

October 7, 2006, 11AM - ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) Candidates Forum. Lampson and Smither attended. Questions asked by ACORN members. Smither was not sure how the libertarian message would be received by this group. In fact, Smither reported that more people applauded his remarks and came up to him afterwards pledging support than at any other forum. Basic message was to reduce spending, reduce taxes, leave local resources in the local community so that local folks can best decide how to spend them.

October 7, 2006 - Katy Rice Harvest Festival.

October 8, 2006 - Katy Rice Harvest Festival.

October 9, 2006, 6:30PM - Candidate coffee organized by Laura Coker-Garcia.

October 10, 2006, 9:30AM - Speech at meeting of the Clear Lake Association of Retired Teachers. SSG and Smither presented, Lampson did not attend.

October 11, 2006, 10AM - Speech at meeting of the Pro-America group in Houston. Compass Bank Building. Pro-America was founded by Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt in the 1930's.

October 12, 2006, 1PM - Taping at KPRC-TV - 2:30 statement to be aired twice before the election.

October 20, 2006, 8:00PM - America: Freedom to Fascism shown at Angelika theatre. Local LP Meetup.com group and other activists saw the movie and handed out an invitation to attend a discussion of the movie at the adjoining Hard Rock Cafe.

October 21, 2006, 9:30AM - Speech to Texas Junior State of America Decision 2006 conference at Rice University. Joe Reasbeck and Smither presented.

October 22, 2006, 11AM - Attended Unitarian Church at 3945 Greenbriar, Stafford, Texas at the invitation of LP activist Michael Lee. Meet church members at coffee after the service.

October 24, 2006, 2PM - Coffee with the Candidates at the Empire Cafe, 1732 Westheimer, Houston, Texas 77098. Project of KPRC-TV. Smither and SSG attended. Smither and SSG were interviewed at three tables by reporters and members of the LWV. Tape was used on KPRC-TV newscasts.

October 25, 2006 - Smither attended and spoke at Grover Norquist's (Americans for Tax Reform) weekly meeting in Washington, DC.

October 27, 2006, 10AM - Interview with Steve Palkut, Town Square Marriott, Sugar Land.

October 28, 2006, Noon - Smither campaign rally with Bob Barr. Held at Town Square Marriott Hotel, 16090 City Walk, Sugar Land, Texas 77479. Event attended by Bob Barr, Smither, Pat Dixon (State LP chair), Kevin Tunstall (State LP vice-chair), Bill Redpath (National LP chair), Steve Gordon (National LP media), and about 30 activists. Speeches, fundraising. Room cost, with snacks, was about $3400.00. Raised about $2200.00. Very good event, but there was not enough publicity so attendence was not what it should have been. Rick Perry (Republican governor of Texas, running for re-election) held a rally in the adjoining room at the same time.

November 2, 2006, 2:15PM - Yolanda Green show, CW39-TV. Taped for later airing. SSG and Smither attended. Lampson invited but did not show.

November 3, 2006, 7AM - Fox 26 TV morning news live interview at the studio.

November 3, 2006, 8:30AM - Fox 26 TV interview with Ford Atkinson at the studio.