Barbara Smith Warner
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Barbara Smith Warner
|office = Majority Leader of the Oregon House of Representatives
|term_start = July 19, 2019
|term_end = January 16, 2022
|predecessor = Jennifer Williamson
|successor = Julie Fahey
|state_house1 = Oregon
|district1 = 45th
|term_start1 = January 15, 2014
|term_end1 = January 9, 2023
|predecessor1 = Michael Dembrow
|successor1 = Thuy Tran
|birth_date = {{birth year and age|1967}}
|birth_place = Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Democratic
|education = Gannon University (BA)
}}
Barbara Smith Warner (born 1967) is an American Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Oregon. She served as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives for the 45th district from 2014 to 2022.
Early life and education
Born Barbara Smith in Erie, Pennsylvania, she is a graduate of Gannon University.{{cite news
|title=Barbara Smith Warner, new Oregon state representative, discusses priorities
|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2013/12/barbara_smith_warner_new_orego.html
|newspaper=The Oregonian
|date=December 20, 2013
|access-date=February 4, 2014
|last=House
|first=Kelly
|archive-date=February 22, 2014
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222201526/http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2013/12/barbara_smith_warner_new_orego.html
|url-status=live
}}
Career
Warner worked as a labor organizer in Washington, D.C., ran the Oregon House Democratic Caucus, and served as a labor liaison for Senator Ron Wyden and has been active as a community organizer for affordable health care and education access.
In November 2013, Michael Dembrow resigned from his seat in the Oregon House of Representatives when he was appointed to fill Jackie Dingfelder's seat in the Oregon Senate.{{cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2013/11/rep_michael_dembrow_to_replace.html|title=Rep. Michael Dembrow to replace Jackie Dingfelder in state Senate|last=House|first=Kelly|date=November 18, 2013|newspaper=The Oregonian|access-date=February 4, 2014|archive-date=December 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131221000839/http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2013/11/rep_michael_dembrow_to_replace.html|url-status=live}} Multnomah County Commissioners appointed Smith Warner to fill Dembrow's seat in the Oregon House a few weeks later.{{cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2013/12/barbara_smith_warner_to_replac.html|title=Barbara Smith Warner to replace Michael Dembrow in Oregon state House|last=House|first=Kelly|date=December 19, 2013|newspaper=The Oregonian|access-date=February 4, 2014|archive-date=January 5, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140105110352/http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2013/12/barbara_smith_warner_to_replac.html|url-status=live}} She was sworn in on January 15, 2014, shortly before the 2014 Legislative Short Session.{{Cite web |title=New lawmaker joins at midway point |url=https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2014/01/26/new-lawmaker-joins-at-midway-point/4898883/ |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=Statesman Journal |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-11-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231102033037/https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2014/01/26/new-lawmaker-joins-at-midway-point/4898883/ |url-status=live }} In July 2019, she was elected as Majority Leader by the Oregon House Democratic Caucus,{{Cite web|url=https://www.wweek.com/news/state/2019/07/07/oregon-house-dems-elect-barbara-smith-warner-as-new-majority-leader/|title=Oregon House Dems Elect Barbara Smith Warner as New Majority Leader|website=Willamette Week|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-09|archive-date=2019-12-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206004240/https://www.wweek.com/news/state/2019/07/07/oregon-house-dems-elect-barbara-smith-warner-as-new-majority-leader/|url-status=live}} and served until January 2022.
On March 7, 2022, Smith Warner announced she would retire from the legislature.{{Cite web |title=Former House Majority Leader Barbara Smith Warner Won’t Seek Reelection |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/state/2022/03/08/former-house-majority-leader-barbara-smith-warner-wont-seek-reelection/ |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=Willamette Week |language=en |archive-date=2023-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308002625/https://www.wweek.com/news/state/2022/03/08/former-house-majority-leader-barbara-smith-warner-wont-seek-reelection/ |url-status=live }} She was succeeded by optometrist Thuy Tran, a fellow Democrat and a former member of the Parkrose School Board.{{Cite web |last=Oregonian/OregonLive |first=Jamie Goldberg {{!}} The |date=2022-05-18 |title=Optometrist Thuy Tran wins primary for open House seat representing NE Portland |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/05/optometrist-thuy-tran-wins-primary-for-open-house-seat-representing-ne-portland.html |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=oregonlive |language=en |archive-date=2023-03-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325010029/https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/05/optometrist-thuy-tran-wins-primary-for-open-house-seat-representing-ne-portland.html |url-status=live }}
In February 2023, Smith Warner was named executive director of The National Vote at Home Institute.{{Cite web |last=Wilkes |first=Tyra |date=2023-02-16 |title=NVAHI Announces Barbara Smith Warner as Executive Director |url=https://voteathome.org/nvahi-announces-barbara-smith-warner-as-executive-director/ |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=National Vote at Home Institute |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308002626/https://voteathome.org/nvahi-announces-barbara-smith-warner-as-executive-director/ |url-status=live }}
Personal life
Smith Warner and her husband Chris Warner, who served as chief of staff to former Portland City Commissioner Steve Novick, live in Portland's Rose City Park neighborhood with their two children.{{cite web
|url=http://www.portlandoregon.gov/novick/article/423847
|title=Meet the Team
|publisher=City of Portland, Oregon
|access-date=February 4, 2014
|archive-date=February 22, 2014
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222041432/http://www.portlandoregon.gov/novick/article/423847
|url-status=live
}}
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2014 Oregon State Representative, 45th district{{cite web
| title = November 4, 2014, General Election, Official Abstract of Votes
| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873735
| website = Oregon Secretary of State
| access-date = October 30, 2023
| archive-date = April 6, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230406223359/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873735
| url-status = live }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Barbara Smith Warner
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 18,707
| percentage = 96.9}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 604
| percentage = 3.1}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 19,311
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2016 Oregon State Representative, 45th district{{cite web
| title = November 8, 2016, General Election Abstract of Votes
| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873777
| website = Oregon Secretary of State
| access-date = October 30, 2023
| archive-date = January 19, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230119071743/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873777
| url-status = live }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Barbara Smith Warner
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 24,843
| percentage = 98.1}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 488
| percentage = 1.9}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 25,331
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2018 Oregon State Representative, 45th district{{cite web
| title = November 6, 2018, General Election Abstract of Votes
| url = http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873825
| website = Oregon Secretary of State
| access-date = October 30, 2023
| archive-date = April 6, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230406153942/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordhtml/6873825
| url-status = live }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Barbara Smith Warner
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 25,695
| percentage = 97.7}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 598
| percentage = 2.3}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 26,293
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2020 Oregon State Representative, 45th district{{cite web
| title = November 3, 2020, General Election Abstract of Votes
| url = https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Documents/results/november-general-2020.pdf
| website = Oregon Secretary of State
| access-date = October 30, 2023
| archive-date = November 12, 2022
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221112205917/https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Documents/results/november-general-2020.pdf
| url-status = live }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Barbara Smith Warner
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 31,326
| percentage = 97.3}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 883
| percentage = 2.7}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 32,209
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box end}}
External links
- [http://barbarasmithwarner.com Campaign website]
- [https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/smithwarner Legislative website]
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-or-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=Jennifer Williamson}}
{{s-ttl|title=Majority Leader of the Oregon House of Representatives|years=2019–2022}}
{{s-aft|after=Julie Fahey}}
{{s-end}}
{{Oregon House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith Warner, Barbara}}
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:Gannon University alumni
Category:Democratic Party members of the Oregon House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the Oregon Legislative Assembly
Category:Women state legislators in Oregon