Lamar Seeligson Smith (born November 19 1947) is a politician from the state of Texas, currently representing the state's 21st congressional district (map) in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican.

Biography

Smith was born in San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from T.M.I.: The Episcopal School of Texas, Yale University and Southern Methodist University Law School. Smith is a Christian Scientist.

Political offices in Texas

Smith was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1980. He served as Bexar County, Texas commissioner from 1982 to 1985.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

Smith was elected to the House of Representatives in 1986.

In 2002, Smith received 73 percent of the vote against college administrator John Courage. Smith got 62 percent in 2004 to defeat then-Democrat Rhett Smith, a consultant running for governor in 2006 as a Republican.

District boundaries were changed in 2001, in 2003, and again in 2006. Nearly two-thirds of voters in the area making up District 21 as of November 2006 cast ballots for statewide Republican candidates in 2004, according to the Texas Legislative Council.

Political positions

DMCA

On April 23, 2006, CNet reported that Smith was introducing a bill that "would expand the DMCA's restrictions on software that can bypass copy protections and grant federal police more wiretapping and enforcement powers. The controversial move sparked a negative response among technology enthusiasts in opposition to the DMCA.

2006 re-election campaign

In the November 2006 open election, Smith faced six candidates: college administrator and veteran John Courage , a Democrat; retired Air Force officer Gene Kelly, 80, also a Democrat, who is a frequent candidate; three independents: Tommy Calvert Jr., 25, a San Antonio consultant and community activist, James Lyle Peterson, 57, a computer programmer in Austin, and Mark Rossano, 57, service manager for an Austin automobile dealership; and Libertarian James Arthur Strohm, a technical writer living in Austin. Smith won reelection, taking 60% of the vote.

Committee Assignment

Smith is the ranking Republican member of the Judiciary Committee and a member of the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property.

References

External links

• U.S. Congressman Lamar Smith official House site
• Lamar Smith for Congressman official campaign site

• Profile at SourceWatch Congresspedia