Shelia Smoot Launches Bid for U.S. Congress

By Brandy Bailey, Contributor ElectWomen Magazine

Shelia Smoot is a woman of many talents.  She is the Jefferson County Commissioner in Birmingham Alabama, a consumer advocate, radio talkshow host, businesswoman, and mother.  Now she is hoping to add to that impressive list of accomplishments as U.S. Congresswoman for Alabama’s 7^th Congressional District.  If she wins she will be the first African-American woman elected to Congress from Alabama.

Smoot recently announced that she is running for the seat that is being vacated by Representative Artur Davis, a Democrat, who has decided to run for governor in next year’s gubernatorial election. 

In 2002 when Sheila Smoot was elected to her first term as Commissioner she became the first African American female to ever sit on the Jefferson County Commission and the youngest person ever to serve on the Commission.  In 2006 she ran unopposed and was easily re-elected to her second term.

Since kicking off her campaign Smoot has been busy visiting the 12 counties in the District and talking to as many voters as possible.  “I’m interested in shaking hands and getting to as many people as possible,” Smoot said. “I want the people to know that I’m working for this seat. I’m not taking anyone for granted. I want to do a kick-off in every county, not just where the money is or the most amount of voters.  Everyone deserves a formal announcement.”  Smoot’s 12 county swing will wrap-up in Sumpter and Choctaw counties on July 4^th. 

Smoot is very passionate about the listening to the needs of the people in the District, “I am about people, not politics.  I am a people person.  I don’t deal with politics, I deal with people’s problems and I want to know what issues people are dealing with,” said Smoot in a recent interview.

So far Smoot is very excitied about the direction of her campaign.  She recently placed her 15-year-old daughter in charge of part of her campaign called Teens for Smoot and the response from the young people has been overwhelming.  “The young people especially like that they can follow me on Facebook and Twitter,” said Smoot.  Smoot has also organized a group called Seasoned Citizens for Smoot, which is a group of senior citizens in the District that she had engaged in order to hear their concerns.

 

Though she is a Michigan native, Smoot is vocal about her love for Alabama and her District, “I always knew I was supposed to be here all my life.  Alabama has been very good to me and when we go to Congress we go together.”

The Alabama primary will be held August 24, 2010 and the general election will be held November 2, 2010.  If a runoff is necessary it will be held in September 2010.

For more information, or to contribute to her campaign go to her website at http://www.sheliasmoot.us/.