Gordon H. Smith

Gordon Smith
Born	Gordon Harold Smith 5/25/1952
Birthplace	Pendleton, Oregon, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, businessman, religious leader
Known for	U.S. Senator from Oregon (1997–2009), President of the National Association of Broadcasters (2009–2022)
Education	Southwestern Law School (JD)
Spouse(s)	Sharon Smith
Children	3
Awards	Silver Buffalo Award (Boy Scouts of America)

Gordon Harold Smith (born May 25, 1952) is an American politician, businessman, and religious leader who represented Oregon in the United States Senate for two terms, from 1997 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Smith built a reputation during his Senate tenure as a centrist willing to work across party lines on issues including mental health, trade, and the Iraq War. Before entering national politics, he served in the Oregon State Senate, rising to become President of the Oregon State Senate from 1995 to 1997. After leaving the Senate following his defeat by Democrat Jeff Merkley in 2008, Smith served as president of the National Association of Broadcasters from 2009 to 2022. A lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Smith has held various leadership roles within the church, including service as an area seventy from 2012 to 2022 and, since March 2025, as the church's director of hosting at Temple Square alongside his wife, Sharon. As of 2026, he remains the last Republican to have represented Oregon in the U.S. Senate. Smith is also a member of the prominent Udall family, with cousins including former U.S. Senator Tom Udall and former U.S. Representative Mark Udall.

Early Life

Gordon Harold Smith was born on May 25, 1952, in Pendleton, Oregon. He was raised in a family with deep roots in both politics and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His brother, Milan Smith, went on to serve as a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Through his mother's side of the family, Smith is related to the prominent Udall political family, which has produced multiple members of Congress and other public officials. His cousins include Tom Udall, who served as a U.S. Senator from New Mexico, and Mark Udall, who served as a U.S. Senator from Colorado.

Smith grew up in the American West and was influenced by the agricultural and business traditions of eastern Oregon. The Pendleton area, known for its ranching culture and the famous Pendleton Round-Up rodeo, shaped Smith's early understanding of rural issues that would later inform his political career.

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Smith undertook a two-year mission for the church as a young man, a formative experience common among male members of the faith. His religious commitment would remain a significant part of his identity throughout his career in business, politics, and public service.

Education

Smith attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then pursued legal studies at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, California, where he obtained his Juris Doctor degree. His legal education provided the foundation for his subsequent career in both business and politics.

Career

Business Career

Before entering politics, Smith established himself as a businessman in Oregon. He became involved in the food processing industry, serving as president of Smith Frozen Foods, a family-owned frozen vegetable processing company based in Weston, Oregon. The company, which processed peas, corn, and other vegetables grown in the Pendleton area, gave Smith firsthand experience with agricultural issues, trade policy, and the concerns of rural communities. His business background would later inform his policy positions in the Oregon State Senate and the U.S. Senate, particularly on matters of trade and agriculture.

Oregon State Senate

Smith entered electoral politics in 1992 when he won election to the Oregon State Senate, representing the 29th district. He succeeded Scott Duff in the seat. Smith quickly rose through the ranks of the Republican caucus in the state legislature, and in January 1995, he became President of the Oregon State Senate, succeeding Democrat Bill Bradbury. He served as Senate president until January 1997, when he was succeeded by Brady Adams. His tenure as president of the state senate gave him executive legislative experience and raised his profile as a leader within Oregon Republican politics.

1996 Special Election

Smith first sought a seat in the U.S. Senate in a January 1996 special election to fill the seat being vacated by the retiring Mark Hatfield, one of Oregon's longest-serving senators. Smith lost that special election to Democrat Ron Wyden in a closely contested race. The defeat, however, did not end Smith's ambitions for federal office.

United States Senate (1997–2009)

Smith ran again for the U.S. Senate in the regular November 1996 election for Oregon's other Senate seat, which was also being vacated by Hatfield's retirement from the Class 2 seat. Smith won the general election and took office on January 3, 1997, succeeding Mark Hatfield. He was reelected in 2002, serving until January 3, 2009.

Legislative Record and Centrism

During his time in the Senate, Smith developed a reputation as one of the chamber's more centrist Republicans. He frequently crossed party lines on social and environmental issues, which distinguished him from many of his Republican colleagues. The National Journal included him among its rankings of centrist senators. His voting record was tracked by organizations across the political spectrum, and he was recognized by GovTrack as a senator who did not fit neatly into partisan categories.

Smith's willingness to work with Democrats on certain issues drew both praise from moderates and criticism from conservative members of his own party. His positions on issues such as the environment, gay rights, and immigration sometimes placed him at odds with the national Republican platform.

Committee Leadership

Smith served on several Senate committees during his tenure. Notably, he chaired the Senate Special Committee on Aging from January 3, 2005, to January 3, 2007, succeeding Larry Craig and being succeeded by Herb Kohl after Democrats regained control of the Senate in the 2006 midterm elections. In his role as chair, Smith focused on issues affecting older Americans, including healthcare, prescription drug costs, and Social Security.

Iraq War

One of the most significant and publicly noted moments of Smith's Senate career came in December 2006, when he delivered an emotional speech on the Senate floor regarding the Iraq War. Smith, who had initially supported the war, expressed deep misgivings about the direction of the conflict and the policies of the Bush administration. He described aspects of the war as potentially "criminal" in their mismanagement, a striking statement from a Republican senator at a time when the party was largely supportive of the war effort. The speech garnered significant national media attention and was covered by major news outlets, including CNN. Smith appeared on CNN to discuss his evolving position on the war.

His shift on the Iraq War was seen by some observers as a reflection of his centrist inclinations and willingness to challenge his own party, while others viewed it in the context of his upcoming 2008 reelection campaign in a state that was growing increasingly unfavorable to Republicans.

Mental Health Advocacy

Smith became a prominent advocate for mental health legislation in the Senate, an issue that held deep personal significance for him. He co-sponsored and championed legislation aimed at improving mental health services and suicide prevention. Smith introduced the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, named after his son Garrett, who died by suicide in 2003. The legislation, designated as S. 2634 in the 108th Congress, authorized federal funding for campus-based mental health services and suicide prevention programs at colleges and universities. The act was signed into law and has since funded suicide prevention programs across the country.

2008 Election Defeat

Smith faced a challenging reelection campaign in 2008. Oregon's political landscape had shifted considerably since his initial election in 1996, with the state trending toward the Democratic Party. His Democratic opponent, Jeff Merkley, then the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, ran a competitive campaign. Polling during the campaign showed a tight race, with surveys by organizations such as SurveyUSA tracking voter sentiment throughout the contest.

Smith's campaign drew on his record of bipartisanship and centrism, but the strong Democratic wave nationally in 2008, driven in part by Barack Obama's presidential campaign, proved to be a significant headwind. Smith was ultimately defeated by Merkley, ending his twelve-year tenure in the Senate. The Oregonian newspaper provided extensive coverage of the campaign and Smith's political record throughout the cycle.

Smith's campaign finances were documented by the Center for Responsive Politics through OpenSecrets, which tracked his fundraising patterns and donor geography across his Senate campaigns.

National Association of Broadcasters (2009–2022)

Following his departure from the Senate, Smith was named president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the trade association representing the interests of radio and television broadcasters in the United States. He assumed the role in 2009 and served until 2022, a tenure of over thirteen years. In this capacity, Smith advocated for the broadcasting industry on matters of policy, regulation, and technology before Congress, the Federal Communications Commission, and other regulatory bodies. His experience as a former senator gave him significant credibility and access in Washington, D.C., making him an effective lobbyist and spokesperson for the industry.

Post-Senate Political Involvement

Smith has remained engaged in public discourse on political issues following his Senate career. In 2022, he was identified as a signatory and senior fellow at the International Center for Law and Religion Studies in connection with the "Lost, Not Stolen" report, a document produced by a group of conservative former judges and officials that examined the 2020 presidential election and concluded that claims of a stolen election were not supported by the evidence.

In September 2025, Smith was announced as one of eight new directors appointed to the board of Utah Global Diplomacy, an organization focused on international engagement and diplomatic relations.

Personal Life

Smith is married to Sharon Smith. Together, they have three children. The family experienced a profound tragedy in 2003 when their son, Garrett, died by suicide. The loss had a significant impact on Smith both personally and professionally, leading to his advocacy for mental health legislation in the Senate, including the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act.

Smith has been a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as an area seventy, a lay leadership position in the church's ecclesiastical hierarchy, from 2012 to 2022. In March 2025, Smith and his wife Sharon were called as the new directors of Church Hosting at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, a role that involves welcoming and hosting religious and civic leaders from around the world who visit the church's headquarters.

Smith is a member of the extended Udall political family. His cousins include Tom Udall, who served as a U.S. Senator from New Mexico, and Mark Udall, who served as a U.S. Senator from Colorado.

Recognition

Smith received the Silver Buffalo Award from the Boy Scouts of America, the organization's highest honor for adults, in recognition of his service to youth.

His work on mental health and suicide prevention through the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act has been recognized as one of the lasting legislative accomplishments of his Senate career. The act has provided federal funding for suicide prevention programs at hundreds of colleges and universities across the United States.

Smith's career was profiled by Oregon Public Broadcasting as part of its "Oregon Territory" series, which examined the lives and contributions of notable Oregonians.

Legacy

Gordon H. Smith's political career represents a strain of centrist Republicanism in the Pacific Northwest that became increasingly rare in the early 21st century. As the last Republican to represent Oregon in the U.S. Senate, his tenure marks the end of an era in which the state regularly elected members of both parties to its highest offices. His predecessors in Oregon's Senate seats included Mark Hatfield and Bob Packwood, both moderate Republicans who, like Smith, were willing to break with their party on certain issues.

Smith's most enduring legislative contribution is the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, which transformed how the federal government approaches youth suicide prevention. Born from personal tragedy, the legislation channeled Smith's grief into policy that has affected countless college campuses and communities across the nation.

His post-Senate career demonstrated the range of his interests and abilities. As president of the National Association of Broadcasters for over a decade, he became one of the most prominent figures in the media industry's engagement with policymakers. His continued involvement in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, from his service as an area seventy to his current role as director of church hosting, reflects the importance of faith in his public and private life.

Smith's involvement with the "Lost, Not Stolen" report in 2022 signaled his continued engagement with questions of democratic integrity and his willingness to take public stances on contentious political issues even after leaving office.