Loretta Smith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Loretta Smith
Member of Portland City Council from District 1
Incumbent
Assumed office January 1, 2025 Serving with Candace Avalos and Jamie Dunphy
Preceded by	office established
Multnomah County Commissioner
In office January 2011 – January 2019
Preceded by	Jeff Cogen
Succeeded by	Susheela Jayapal
Constituency	2nd district
Personal details
Born	1966 (age 58–59) Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Children	1
Education	Oregon State University (BA)

Loretta Smith (born 1966) is an American politician and businesswoman who is a member of the Portland City Council from District 1. She previously served as a Multnomah County commissioner from 2011 to 2018. She ran unsuccessful campaigns for Portland City Council in 2018 and 2020. Smith was a candidate for Oregon's 6th congressional district in the 2022 election, a new seat created after the 2020 United States census.

Early life and education

Smith was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1966. Loretta's father, Wade Smith, was a Hall of Fame boxer. In high school, she was a member of the Black Student Union as well as the track and cheerleading teams. At 17, she began attending Oregon State University. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications in 1987.

Career

Soon after graduating college, Smith got a job as a staffer for then-U.S. Representative Ron Wyden. She remained on his staff for 21 years, eventually becoming his field representative.

Multnomah County Commission

Smith began her own political career by running for Multnomah County commissioner in 2010. She came in second place in the initial election, and advanced to the runoff, which she won by 26 percentage points. During her first term, Smith focused on investments in programs helping poor youth. She served on the Portland Metro Workforce Development Board, which aims to curb the unemployment rate especially among people of color. Smith won reelection in 2014 with little opposition.

During her second term, Willamette Week reported that Smith disproportionately spent her office budget on travel and nonprofit contributions. In 2016, the state of Oregon mistakenly claimed she owed $36,000 in taxes and fees, but in 2017 admitted it had made an error. In 2017, Smith was accused by two former staffers of "unprofessional and harassing conduct" and creating a hostile work environment. She was also accused of using county funds for personal expenses such as grocery shopping. Some Smith supporters questioned the unsubstantiated accusations and claimed she was treated harshly because she was a black woman.

Due to term limits, Smith was not able to run again for County Commission and ran for Portland City Council in 2018.

In 2020, Smith ran in a special election for City Council to succeed Nick Fish, who had died in office. She earned the support of U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, Oregon Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle, several labor organizations, including Northwest Oregon Labor Council - AFL-CIO, Portland Fire Fighters Association, and SEIU Local 49, as well as Basic Rights Oregon. Smith came in first place in a crowded field, but lost narrowly to local schools foundation CEO Dan Ryan in the August runoff.

Business

In 2019, Smith started her own small business, a communications consultancy called Dream Big Communications specializing in building coalitions, bringing people together, and improving communities.

2022 congressional campaign

On June 22, 2021, Smith announced her candidacy for Oregon's 6th congressional district, when the district's boundaries had yet to be drawn.

Personal life

Smith has one son, Jordan, born in 1990, whom she raised as a single mother.

Electoral history