Quick Facts
TaurusBiography
Christy Smith (born May 15, 1969) is an American politician serving as the California State Assemblywoman for the 38th district since 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, her district encompasses Simi Valley, far northern San Fernando Valley, as well as most of the Santa Clarita Valley.
A policy analyst with the United States Department of Education, Smith was elected to the California State Assembly after defeating incumbent Republican Dante Acosta. She chairs the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management. On October 28, 2019, Smith formally announced her candidacy for the United States House of Representatives in the 2020 special election in California's 25th congressional district.
Early life and career
Smith was born in a U.S. Army hospital in 1969 in Würzburg, Germany; her parents moved back to the United States when she was six months old. Smith was raised in Santa Clarita, California where she attended local schools. She graduated from William S. Hart High School in Santa Clarita. She attended College of the Canyons, and then got her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from University of California, Los Angeles. Before entering politics, Smith worked for the United States Department of Education as a policy analyst. She has served two terms on the board of the Newhall School District.
California Assembly
In 2016, she ran for the California's 38th State Assembly district with hopes of turning her district from red to blue. Although she led the candidate field in the open primary in June, she eventually lost to incumbent Republican Dante Acosta in the November general election winning 47.13% to Acosta's 52.87%.
In 2018, she ran again for the 38th district against Acosta and won 51.2% to Acosta's 48.8%.
2018 California State Assembly
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Christy Smith | 43,050 | 46.4 | |
| Republican | Dante Acosta (incumbent) | 49,825 | 53.6 | |
| Total votes | 92,875 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Christy Smith | 89,468 | 51.2 | |
| Republican | Dante Acosta (incumbent) | 85,417 | 48.8 | |
| Total votes | 174,885 | 100.0 | ||
2020 California's 25th congressional district special election
On October 28, 2019, one day after Katie Hill announced her resignation from Congress, Smith announced her bid to fill Hill's vacated Congressional seat. Smith has picked up endorsement from Democratic Party establishment figures such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and United States Senator Dianne Feinstein. Smith's opponents include progressive political commentator Cenk Uygur, former Congressman Steve Knight, and foreign policy adviser for Donald Trump's 2016 campaign George Papadopoulos.
Personal life
Smith lives in Santa Clarita, California with her husband Phil Smith and their two daughters.
