YCT Disappointed Todd Smith Will Not Run for Senate and Lose

February 21, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 21, 2012

Contact: Tony McDonald, Senior Vice Chairman
Mobile: (512) 923-6893
Email: [email protected]

Austin, TX—Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT) expressed disappointment today in Representative Todd Smith’s decision not to run for the state senate.  Smith had reportedly been considering running in either Senate District 9 or 10.  However, the news website PushJunction reported today that Smith will not seek higher office.

“There will be another filing period and we’re hoping Representative Smith will reconsider his decision,” said Tony McDonald, YCT Senior Vice Chairman.  “We were very excited that Representative Smith might run for senate and lose, so that we could get him out of the Texas House.”

Smith performed in the bottom 10% of Republicans in the Texas House, earning a 61 on YCT’s ratings of the 82nd Texas Legislature.  On two occasions he sided with the Democrats to support raiding the state’s economic stabilization fund to encourage increased government spending.

Smith is being challenged for reelection to the Texas House by Jonathan Stickland, a Tarrant county small business owner .  YCT has endorsed Stickland in his campaign to unseat the eight-term incumbent.

“Jonathan Stickland is a principled conservative leader who will represent the interests of voters in House District 92,” said Jeff Morris, YCT State Chairman.  “Todd Smith should get out of Stickland’s way by running for the Senate and losing.”

However, despite Smith’s decision, YCT expressed optimism about the election.

“If Todd Smith won’t get out of the way, conservatives will just have to beat him the old fashioned way,” added Mr. McDonald.  “As the voters of House District 92 become more aware of Todd Smith’s liberal record, we know that they will elect a true conservative, Jonathan Stickland, to be their next representative.”

Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT) has been promoting conservatism at universities across the Lone Star State for over three decades. The state’s most active political youth organization, YCT is composed of hundreds of members and alumni who participate in the full spectrum of politics. YCT issues the most respected ratings of the Texas legislature and is the only conservative group to have done so without interruption over the past 19 legislative sessions. For an up-to-date list of all of YCT’s endorsements, please visit www.yct.org/endorsements.

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