Rodney Warren Smith (born November 15, 1949) is an American lawyer and
politician
A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...
from the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
. A
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY)
**Democratic Part ...
, Smith was a member of the
Florida Senate
The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida House of Representatives being the lower house. Article III, Section 1 of the C ...
from
Gainesville from 2001 until 2006. Smith ran for the Democratic nomination for
Governor of Florida
The governor of Florida is the head of government of the U.S. state of Florida. The Governor (United States), governor is the head of the Government of Florida#Executive branch, executive branch of the government of Florida and is the comman ...
in the
2006 election but lost to
Congressman Jim Davis. In 2010, Smith was the Democratic nominee for
Lieutenant Governor of Florida
The lieutenant governor of Florida is a statewide constitutional office in the Government of Florida, executive branch of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the second highest-ranking official in the state government. The lieutenant governor is el ...
as the running mate of
Alex Sink
Adelaide "Alex" Sink (born June 5, 1948) is an American former politician and financier. A member of the Democratic Party, Sink was the Chief Financial Officer for the state of Florida and treasurer on the board of trustees of the Florida State ...
in her
campaign for Governor of Florida. From November 2010 through January 2013 Smith served as chairman of the
Florida Democratic Party
The Florida Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Florida, headquartered in Tallahassee. Former commissioner of agriculture Nikki Fried is the current chair.
Andrew Jackson, the first territorial go ...
. In 2016, Smith again ran for a seat in the Florida Senate but was ultimately defeated by
Keith Perry, a Republican and former state representative.
Early life and education
Smith was born on November 15, 1949, in
Southwest City,
Missouri
Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
, just across the state line from his family's home in
Oklahoma
Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
. Before he reached the age of two, Smith's family moved to Florida, where they grew
eggplant
Eggplant (American English, US, Canadian English, CA, Australian English, AU, Philippine English, PH), aubergine (British English, UK, Hiberno English, IE, New Zealand English, NZ), brinjal (Indian English, IN, Singapore English, SG, Malays ...
and
green peppers. Smith attended public schools. He attended the
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa (TU) is a Private university, private research university in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It has a historic affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Presbyterian Church, although it is now nondenominational, and the campus ...
, graduating with a
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...
degree in 1971. While at the University of Tulsa, he was a member of the
Sigma Nu
Sigma Nu () is an undergraduate Fraternities and sororities in North America, college fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1869. Since its founding, Sigma Nu has chartered more than 279 chapters across the United States and Ca ...
fraternity. He then attended the
University of Florida
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...
College of Law
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further education institution, or a secondary school ...
graduating with a
J.D. degree in 1975.
Legal and political career
Following his admission to
The Florida Bar
The Florida Bar is the integrated, or unified bar organization for the state of Florida. It is the third largest such bar in the United States. , Smith worked for the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission for two years, representing the state in cases relating to
labor law
Labour laws (also spelled as labor laws), labour code or employment laws are those that mediate the relationship between workers, employing entities, trade unions, and the government. Collective labour law relates to the tripartite relationship be ...
. After two years in
Tallahassee
Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of and the only incorporated municipality in Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2024, the est ...
, Smith returned to
Alachua County
Alachua County ( ) is a county in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 278,468. The county seat is Gainesville, the home of the University of Florida.
History Prehistory and ear ...
and spent the next 15 years in private practice. The ''
St. Petersburg Times
The ''Tampa Bay Times'', called the ''St. Petersburg Times'' until 2011, is an American newspaper published in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. It is published by the Times Publishing Company, which is owned by The Poynter Institute f ...
'' later wrote that, since that time, Smith has "crisscrossed Florida, representing an array of
labor unions
A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...
–
police officer
A police officer (also called policeman or policewoman, cop, officer or constable) is a Warrant (law), warranted law employee of a police, police force. In most countries, ''police officer'' is a generic term not specifying a particular rank. ...
s and
firefighter
A firefighter (or fire fighter or fireman) is a first responder trained in specific emergency response such as firefighting, primarily to control and extinguish fires and respond to emergencies such as hazardous material incidents, medical in ...
s,
electrical workers,
carpenter
Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. Carpenter ...
s,
painters
Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...
and pipe fitters. He argued on behalf of large vegetable farmers and dairies and nurserymen. He won settlements against the likes of
DuPont
Dupont, DuPont, Du Pont, duPont, or du Pont may refer to:
People
* Dupont (surname) Dupont, also spelled as DuPont, duPont, Du Pont, or du Pont is a French surname meaning "of the bridge", historically indicating that the holder of the surname re ...
and, occasionally, represented criminal defendants...He established himself as a skillful litigator."
In 1992, Smith was recruited by a group of county sheriffs to seek the office of State Attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit of Florida. Smith defeated incumbent Len Register that same year and, during his first term, successfully prosecuted
serial killer
A serial killer (also called a serial murderer) is a person who murders three or more people,An offender can be anyone:
*
*
*
*
* (This source only requires two people) with the killings taking place over a significant period of time in separat ...
Danny Rolling
Danny Harold Rolling (May 26, 1954 – October 25, 2006), known as the Gainesville Ripper, was an American serial killer who murdered five college students in Gainesville, Florida over four days in August 1990.
He later confessed to raping sev ...
, the "Gainesville Ripper."
Re-elected in 1996, Smith created the circuit's first special prosecutions unit, which dealt with crimes against women and children, and created an
environmental crime
Environmental crime is an illegal act which directly harms the environment. These illegal activities involve the environment, wildlife, biodiversity, and natural resources. International bodies such as, G7, Interpol, European Union, United Na ...
unit. He was succeeded by Bill Cervone to be State Attorney.
State Senate
In 2000, Smith was elected to the
Florida Senate
The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida House of Representatives being the lower house. Article III, Section 1 of the C ...
as a Democrat. He represented the 14th Senate district, which included nine counties in northern Florida, centered around Gainesville and Ocala. While in the Senate, Smith served as chair of the Agriculture Committee, as vice chair of the Criminal Justice and Justice Appropriations Committees, and as a member of the Communications and Public Utilities, Environmental Preservation, Rules and Calendar, and Ways and Means Committees, as well as the Legislative Budget Commission.
During his term in the Florida Senate, Smith was noted for his work on issues related to criminal justice. He strengthened the state's child abuse laws, fought discrimination in housing and worked to protect the privacy of crime victims. He also improved the state's crime prevention and homeland security initiatives. Smith "sponsored, and passed, legislation to prevent mentally retarded persons from being executed." In 2006, he led the coalition that defeated Governor Jeb Bush's plan to weaken Florida's voter-approved
class size amendment and create a
school voucher program.
Legal career
Smith is a partner with the
law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise consumer, clients (individuals or corporations) about their legal rights and Obligation, respon ...
o
Avera & Smithand also serves as an
adjunct professor
An adjunct professor is a type of academic appointment in higher education who does not work at the establishment full-time. The terms of this appointment and the job security of the tenure vary in different parts of the world, but the term is gen ...
at the University of Florida's Levin College of Law where he teaches
constitutional law
Constitutional law is a body of law which defines the role, powers, and structure of different entities within a state, namely, the executive, the parliament or legislature, and the judiciary; as well as the basic rights of citizens and, in ...
and
trial practice
In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal, wh ...
and supervises the prosecution clinic. He has also taught at
Santa Fe Community College
Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) is a public community college in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It has an undergraduate population of about 4,027 students, as well as approximately 4,706 contract training and continuing education students. The college ...
.
The ''
Miami Herald
The ''Miami Herald'' is an American daily newspaper owned by McClatchy, The McClatchy Company and headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Founded in 1903, it is the fifth-largest newspaper in Florida, serving Miami-Dade, Broward County, Fl ...
'' summed up Smith's biography in this way, "He comes from a line of struggling farmers and saw
public school as a way out. While in law school at the University of Florida, he juggled going to class with helping to run the family's cattle operation. He won respect from unions as a labor lawyer, got elected state attorney and went on to leadership posts in the Florida Senate."
2006 campaign for governor
In January 2005, Smith announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for governor in the 2006 election. Smith ran against Tampa
Congressman
A member of congress (MOC), also known as a congressman or congresswoman, is a person who has been appointed or elected and inducted into an official body called a congress, typically to represent a particular constituency in a legislature. The t ...
Jim Davis. A statewide poll by the
Florida Chamber of Commerce The Florida Chamber of Commerce is an organization devoted to the advocacy of private businesses in the state of Florida.
This Chamber originated in 1912, and included its first continuing group in 1916, the ''Florida Tick Eradication Committee''.h ...
, released on August 28, 2006, showed Smith eight points down against Davis. A poll from earlier in the year showed Davis ahead 25 to 9 percent. Conversely, a July 27
Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac University ( ) is a private university in Hamden, Connecticut, United States. The university grants undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees. It also hosts the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
History
What became ...
poll showed Smith trailing Davis by 28%. However, this poll also revealed that 33% of Democrats were still undecided.
Late in May 2006, U.S. Representatives
Kendrick Meek
Kendrick Brett Meek (born September 6, 1966) is an American politician and current fossil fuel industry spokesperson, who served as the U.S. representative for from 2003 to 2011. After serving in both houses of the Florida Legislature, Meek was ...
and
Allen Boyd
Frederick Allen Boyd Jr. (born June 6, 1945) is an American farmer, lobbyist and politician and the former United States Representative for from 1997 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He currently works for a lobbying firm, the T ...
broke with their fellow Florida Democratic House members to endorse Smith. Smith was also endorsed by former Florida
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...
Bob Butterworth
Robert A. Butterworth Jr. (born August 20, 1942) is an American lawyer and politician from the state of Florida.
Early life and career
Butterworth was born in Passaic, New Jersey, and moved to Florida with his family as a child. He received a ...
and former state Sen. Tom Rossin, the 2002 Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor; state Sen. Dave Aronberg of
Greenacres; the
Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County is a county in the southeastern part of Florida, located in the Miami metropolitan area. It is Florida's third-most populous county after Miami-Dade County and Broward County and the 24th-most populous in the United States, wi ...
State Attorney, Barry Krischer; and county Commissioner Addie Greene, among others.. The co-chair of his campaign was former governor
Wayne Mixson
John Wayne Mixson (June 16, 1922 – July 8, 2020) was an American politician, farmer, and Navy veteran who served as the 39th governor of Florida for three days in January 1987, after having served as the 12th lieutenant governor of Florida ...
.
In August 2006, the ''
St. Petersburg Times
The ''Tampa Bay Times'', called the ''St. Petersburg Times'' until 2011, is an American newspaper published in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. It is published by the Times Publishing Company, which is owned by The Poynter Institute f ...
'' endorsed Smith, stating that his opponent, "Davis has a solid record as an ethical, thoughtful state legislator and congressman who understands the challenges facing Florida. Smith combines the same grasp of those challenges with a more dynamic leadership style and a clearer, fresher record of building mainstream coalitions that can successfully carry the day on tough issues. That is what it will take for a Democrat to win in November and successfully govern in Tallahassee."
At the same time, the ''
Palm Beach Post
''The Palm Beach Post'' is an American daily newspaper serving Palm Beach County in South Florida, and parts of the Treasure Coast.
On March 18, 2018, in a deal worth US$42.35 million, ''The Palm Beach Post'' and '' The Palm Beach Daily News' ...
'' endorsed Senator Smith, saying, "Rep. Davis would return to Tallahassee with good intentions. Sen. Smith would take office knowing how to get good things done." In addition, the ''Lakeland Ledger'' endorsed Smith stating, "We believe Smith can appeal to a broader segment of the electorate -- that he can muster greater support in the Republican-leaning northern part of the state while still generating strong support in the urban areas of Central and South Florida."
Later in the month, the ''
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
The ''Sun Sentinel'' (also known as the ''South Florida Sun Sentinel'', known until 2008 as the ''Sun-Sentinel'', and stylized on its masthead as ''SunSentinel'') is the main daily newspaper of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Broward County, an ...
'' endorsed the Senator, noting that between Smith and Davis, "Smith's record is the more impressive of the two, and his familiarity with the Legislature and state government gives him the edge over Davis. Smith could literally win the November election and hit the ground running."
''
The Gainesville Sun
''The Gainesville Sun'' () is a newspaper published daily in Gainesville, Florida, United States, covering the North-Central portion of the state.
History
The paper was founded in July 1876 as the ''Gainesville Times'', by brothers E. M. and ...
'' also endorsed Smith saying, "Rod Smith is a superb orator, a skilled negotiator and ...a razor-sharp intellectual and a constitutional scholar who immerses himself in minutia of public policy making .... We think Rod Smith is the Democrat in this race who has the political capital to undo some of the damage that's been done to public education these past eight years, find the right balance between environmental protection and economic growth, protect Florida's fragile water resources and get a handle on the state's runaway health care costs without restricting access to quality care."
On August 27, the ''
Miami Herald
The ''Miami Herald'' is an American daily newspaper owned by McClatchy, The McClatchy Company and headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Founded in 1903, it is the fifth-largest newspaper in Florida, serving Miami-Dade, Broward County, Fl ...
'' endorsed Senator Smith, noting his record of bipartisanship and stating, "In 2006, the Democratic Party has its best chance since the days of the late
Lawton Chiles
Lawton Mainor Chiles Jr. (April 3, 1930 – December 12, 1998) was an American politician and military officer. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as a United States Senate, United States senator fr ...
to recapture the governor's office."
Smith was criticized by media outlets for his allegedly-passive attitude toward Florida's sugar lobby and their attacks on his primary opponent. In August 2006, the Miami Herald wrote: "Sen. Smith has been the beneficiary of a million-dollar anti-Davis ad campaign by U.S. Sugar Inc. Senator Smith vows to remain independent. But it could prove difficult to keep a respectable distance from special interests if he becomes beholden to them for outsized political contributions." The Daytona Beach News-Journal, which had endorsed Smith, added further criticism. "What we find most disturbing is the response by state Sen. Rod Smith. Smith, who railed against smear tactics by third-party groups during his state senate campaigns, has consistently failed to rebuke Florida's Working Families (a notable front for Big Sugar interests) for the ads and, when asked, only repeats some of the allegations against Davis. Smith should denounce them."
On September 5, 2006, Rod Smith lost his bid for the Democratic nomination to
Jim Davis. Davis subsequently lost the election to then Republican
Charlie Crist
Charles Joseph Crist Jr. ( ; born July 24, 1956) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 44th List of governors of Florida, governor of Florida from 2007 to 2011 and as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. represen ...
.
2010 Election
On August 17, 2010, Rod Smith was announced as the running mate for
Alex Sink
Adelaide "Alex" Sink (born June 5, 1948) is an American former politician and financier. A member of the Democratic Party, Sink was the Chief Financial Officer for the state of Florida and treasurer on the board of trustees of the Florida State ...
on the Democratic ticket for the
race to succeed Crist, who chose to run for
election to the U.S. Senate rather than for re-election as governor. On November 2, the Sink/Smith ticket lost to the Republican Scott/Carroll ticket by a 1% margin.
2016 Election
When the Florida Supreme Court ordered the drawing of new state senate districts in December 2015, District 8, a newly formed district comprising Alachua County, Putnam County, and the northern half of Marion County opened up. On March 1, 2016, Smith announced his campaign for the seat against the then third-term Republican state representative Keith Perry. On November 8, Smith lost to Perry with 47.4% of the vote, a 5.2% margin.
Florida Democratic Party
In November 2010 Smith was elected chairman of the
Florida Democratic Party
The Florida Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Florida, headquartered in Tallahassee. Former commissioner of agriculture Nikki Fried is the current chair.
Andrew Jackson, the first territorial go ...
(FDP), succeeding
Karen Thurman
Karen Lee Loveland Thurman (born January 12, 1951) is a former U.S. Representative from Florida, serving five consecutive terms from 1993 to 2003. She is a Democrat and served as chair of the Florida Democratic Party from 2005 to 2010.
Early lif ...
who resigned on November 12, 2010, following the midterm elections. Smith's term expired in January 2013 when he was succeeded by
Allison Tant
Allison Tant (born 1961) is an American former lobbyist, Democratic Party of Florida chair, and politician serving as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 9th district. She assumed office on November 3, 2020.
Early life and ...
.
The Miami Herald — Allison Tant wins Race for Florida Democratic chair", Retrieved June 30, 2013
Awards and honors
*Florida Police Chiefs Association's Legislative Achievement Award (2002)–for efforts to improve public safety and fight crime
*Voices of Children Foundation's MVP Leadership Award (2004)–for efforts on behalf of abused, abandoned and neglected children.
*Florida AFL-CIO
Florida ( ; ) is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Straits of Florida to the south, and T ...
"Legislator of the Year"–efforts on behalf of organized labor
Smith was also named the "most effective Democrat in the Florida Senate" by the ''Miami Herald
The ''Miami Herald'' is an American daily newspaper owned by McClatchy, The McClatchy Company and headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Founded in 1903, it is the fifth-largest newspaper in Florida, serving Miami-Dade, Broward County, Fl ...
'' in 2003.
Beliefs
Senator Smith is generally regarded as a political moderate and has traditionally taken stances more conservative than the average Democrat. For example, he has received an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA).
/sup> Still, during the first televised debate of the 2006 Democratic primary, Smith stated that he had "no problem with a carefully defined assault weapons ban. We want to make sure we don't have weapons in the hands of people who aren't supposed to have them and we have tough laws to prevent that." Smith has stated that he supports, and is a principal architect of, legislation requiring minors and abortion, parental notification for minors seeking an abortion but would "leave an exception for the health and life of the mother."
/sup> Smith describes himself as pro-choice
Abortion-rights movements, also self-styled as pro-choice movements, are movements that advocate for legal access to induced abortion services, including elective abortion. They seek to represent and support women who wish to terminate their ...
and his official website promised to, "veto any legislation that would allow the government more influence over a woman's personal and private decisions regarding her own body."
/sup>
Over the course of the 2006 gubernatorial primary, both Smith and his Democratic primary opponent took many positions not generally associated with the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party. The latter (Davis) voted for the Iraq War and "also voted to ban flag-burning."
/sup> Both men agreed on capital punishment
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence (law), sentence ordering that an offender b ...
and both agreed on having only, as Davis put it, "some restrictions on assault weapons."
/sup>
Personal life
Smith and his wife, DeeDee, live on their farm in Alachua County. As reported in ''Tampa Bay Online'' Smith, "married Deidra 'DeeDee' Painter, a lawyer .... They have three kids, one together and one each from previous marriages." DeeDee Smith graduated from law school at age 39 and is an attorney and advocate for child abuse victims.
Smith has 1 daughter, Alison Glover, and 2 sons, Jesse Smith and Dylan Smith. He also has, as of January 2018, four grandchildren. Two from Alison and her husband, Graham Glover, named Hannah Grace and Graham, Jr., and two from Jesse and his wife, Jan, named Norah Lucille and Charlotte Warren.
References
Sources
# Dennis, Brady. "Rod Smith." ''St. Petersburg Times''. July 7, 2006.
/sup>
# Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board. "Governor." ''Sun-Sentinel'' August 20, 2006.
/sup>
# Reinhard, Beth. "Underdog candidates get a final chance to make their mark." ''Miami Herald''. August 26, 2006.
/sup>
# Davis, Jennifer Krell. "Democratic Race In Dead Heat Says Florida Chamber Poll." "Florida Chamber of Commerce". June 8, 2006.
/sup>
#Smith, Adam C. "Jim Davis can't shake Rod Smith." ''St. Petersburg Times''. May 22, 2006.
/sup>
# Crowley, Brian. "Local support for Smith grows." ''Palm Beach Post''. June 24, 2006.
# Times Editorial Board. "Smith for Democrats." ''St. Petersburg Times''. August 12, 2006.
/sup>
# "Democrats: Smith." ''Palm Beach Post''. August 13, 2006.
/sup>
# "Democrats: Smith for Governor." ''Lakeland Ledger'' August 13, 2006.
/sup>
# "Rod Smith, Democrat," ''The Gainesville Sun'' August 20, 2006.
/sup>
# "In 2006, the Democratic Party has its best chance since the days of..." ''Miami Herald'' August 27, 2006.
/sup>
# Bennett, George. "Smith says he can woo votes for Democrats." ''Palm Beach Post''. July 9, 2006.
# Kleindienst, Linda. "Where Jim Davis and Rod Smith stand." ''Sun-Sentinel'' August 24, 2006.
/sup>
# Fechter, Michael. "Rural Route to the Top." TBO.com news. August 8, 200
# Shah, Nirvi. "Gubernatorial candidates' wives toe the party." Palm Beach Post. June 26, 2006.
# Farrington, Brendan. "Sink taps Smith as running mate in Fla. Gov's race." Miami Herald. August 17, 2010
External links
''Raw Deal: A Question of Consent'' (documentary about an alleged rape of a stripper at a University of Florida fraternity house while Rod Smith was State Attorney)
Biography at the Democratic Governors Association
Avera & Smith profile
*
, -
, -
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Rod
1949 births
Living people
Democratic Party Florida state senators
American prosecutors
2012 United States presidential electors
University of Tulsa alumni
Fredric G. Levin College of Law alumni
21st-century members of the Florida Legislature