Political party Republican Name Albert Smith, Succeeded by Ben Erdreich Alma mater Auburn University Role Politician Resigned January 3, 1983 | Occupation Insurance agent Education Auburn University Religion Christian Party Republican Party | |
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Preceded by John Hall Buchanan, Jr. Born August 31, 1931
Birmingham, Alabama ( 1931-08-31 ) Resting place Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham Died August 12, 1997, Birmingham, Alabama, United States | ||
Service/branch United States Navy | ||
Albert Lee Smith Jr. (August 31, 1931 – August 12, 1997) was an Alabama politician who represented the 6th district in the United States House of Representatives during the 97th Congress (1981–1983).
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Early life
Smith was born in 1931 in Birmingham, Alabama. He attended public schools in Jefferson County and graduated from Ramsay High School before he enrolled at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. He graduated from Auburn in 1954 and entered the United States Navy. He worked thereafter as an insurance agent before entering political life.
Politics
Smith was elected as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1968, 1972, 1974 and 1984. In 1978, Smith challenged 12-term Republican John Hall Buchanan, Jr. in the primary for the Birmingham-based 6th District. Buchanan was one of the more moderate Republicans in the House, and Smith ran well to his right. Smith lost fairly handily, but took another run at Buchanan in 1980. With support from conservative Christian activists, Smith defeated Buchanan by a surprising 10-point margin. He then narrowly defeated Democrat Pete Clifford by three points.
Smith served only one term before being defeated by Democratic Jefferson County commissioner Ben Erdreich. To date, Smith is the last Republican congressman to be unseated by a Democrat in Alabama.
In 1984, Smith unsuccessfully ran for the United States Senate against incumbent Democrat Howell Heflin.
Later life
Smith remained active in a variety of conservative political causes until his death in 1997 at the age of sixty-five. He is interred at Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham.