Bob Smith in The New York Times 2010s

On Principles & Values: Only one in this race with real-world experience

Bob Smith, a former Republican senator from New Hampshire who moved to Sarasota in 2003, is critical of Crist in the primary: "There is clearly a war going on in the Republican Party." Smith is a 68-year-old Vietnam veteran who jumped into this war himself recently by entering the Senate primary. "The sooner the party's leadership recognizes that," he added, "the better off they'll be." There are moderates and conservatives who will operate inside the party, he maintained, and a group of conservatives who operate independently of it--"the Tea Party folks," he said.

Smith went on, "I'm intent on showing people that I am the only one in this race with real-world experience and Senate experience." In his two terms--from 1990 to 2002-- Smith gained a reputation as a bit of an odd duck. He briefly declared himself an independent in 1999, and he also briefly endorsed John Kerry's presidential campaign in 2004 (Smith later retracted the Kerry endorsement.)

Source: New York Times on 2010 Florida Senate debate Jan 10, 2010

The above quotations are from Media coverage of political races in The New York Times, 2010-2019. Click here for other excerpts from Media coverage of political races in The New York Times, 2010-2019. Click here for other excerpts by Bob Smith. Click here for a profile of Bob Smith.
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org! Click for details -- or send donations to: 1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140 E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org (We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Dec 02, 2021