Home Grown Leadership
Adam Smith was born and raised in Washington State's Ninth Congressional District. His father worked as a ramp serviceman at SeaTac International Airport, and his mother was a homemaker. Adam graduated from Tyee High School in SeaTac in 1983, received his bachelors degree from Fordham University in 1987, and earned his law degree from the University of Washington in 1990.
After law school, Adam worked as a prosecuting attorney for the city of Seattle where he prosecuted domestic violence and drunk driving cases. Wanting to give back to the community where he grew up, he ran for the State Senate in the 33rd Legislative District at the age of 25. Doggedly campaigning door-to-door for months, Smith surprised the political establishment and knocked off a 16-year moderate Republican incumbent.
Just two years later, Smith led the State Senate campaign operation in 1992, helping to propel the Democrats to the majority. He then became the Law and Justice Committee Chair where he earned a reputation for thoughtful, common sense leadership.
In 1996, Smith beat Republican freshman Congressman and future Christian Coalition leader Randy Tate by three points in one of the nation’s most contested districts-- Washington’s Ninth District. His victory cemented the new district’s reputation as the quintessential swing district-- electing a Democrat in 1992, a Republican in 1994, and a Democrat in 1996.
Committed To The District
In Congress, Smith has continued to provide the thoughtful, common sense leadership he exhibited in the State Senate. During the 2000 campaign cycle he served as the centrist New Democratic Network’s Campaign Chair, overseeing the NDN’s support program for federal candidates and worked to give New Democrat candidates the tools they need -- intellectual, financial, and tactical -- to win in 2000.
Today, he is the co-chair of the House New Democrat Coalition, and has become one of the House’s experts on technology, telecommunications, fiscal responsibility, and economic growth issues.
As a Member of the House Armed Services Committee, Smith is an advocate of modernizing the military, streamlining procurement practices, and encouraging the Department of Defense to leverage new technologies. He believes that our Armed Forces must have the most sophisticated and advanced weapons systems in the world. Utilization of technology both in the Department of Defense and in the field are top priorities.
Smith also serves on the House International Relations Committee, and the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific. He is committed to a foreign policy strategy that encourages democracy and human rights around the world and maximizes America's national security. Adam understands we need friends in the world, and that our diplomacy should be one of benevolence, not belligerence.
Smith’s pro-growth, moderate approach has helped him win re-election by over 58 percent in 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2004, despite being a top target of the National Republican Campaign Committee in 2000.
Smith’s union family background and interest in technology and economic issues have combined to form a political philosophy that seeks to advance traditional Democratic values in modern ways. He has been a leader in dramatically restructuring the federal role in education so that local schools have more flexibility in spending federal dollars, and that those dollars are more heavily targeted to the areas most in need. Smith believes in pursuing innovative, market-based policies to help workers, children, and consumers.
Personal
In 1993, Smith married Sara Bickle-Eldridge, a native of Spokane and graduate of Seattle University Law School.
They have two children: Kendall Charlotte, born in July of 2000; and Jack Evers, born in June of 2003. They live in Northeast Tacoma.
