Shelia Smoot (AL-07 candidate) Featured in Elect Women Magazine

by: gradyw

Wed Jul 01, 2009 at 00:28:18 AM CDT

(AL-07 is going to be an interesting race next year. - promoted by countrycat)

Elect Women Magazine has a great feature on AL-07 Congressional Candidate Shelia Smoot. According to facts on Elect Women Magazine Website

*Women make up only 17% of the members of Congress * Only 10% of women have ever thought about running for office, compared with 20% of men. Lawless and Fox (2005)

Smoot aims to become the First African American female elected to Congress from Alabama. Alabama currently has no female members of Congress.

gradyw :: Shelia Smoot (AL-07 candidate) Featured in Elect Women Magazine

The article also makes mention of the Smoot campaign utilizing social media and grassroots efforts.

So far Smoot is very excitied about the direction of her campaign. She recently placed her 15-year-old daughter in charge of part of her campaign called Teens for Smoot and the response from the young people has been overwhelming. “The young people especially like that they can follow me on Facebook and Twitter,” said Smoot. Smoot has also organized a group called Seasoned Citizens for Smoot, which is a group of senior citizens in the District that she had engaged in order to hear their concerns.

Smoot for Congress Facebook page

Twitter page

Most of the Federal political campaigns in this state seem to be doing a much better job of engaging supporters through social media and social networking tools. Hopefully the statewide and even legislative candidates will begin following suit. This should be a benefit to the informed voters in the 2010 election and allow many more to become part of the political process.

Tags: Alabama, social media, women in Congress, women in politics, elect women, AL-07, Shelia Smoot, (All Tags)

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Shelia Smoot (AL-07 candidate) Featured in Elect Women Magazine | 4 comments

Nice article (4.00 / 3)

Particularly nice that they highlighted her savvy use of social networking tools. There is an excellent chance that AL-07 will send a woman to Congress next year. A few weeks back Elect Women Magazine also featured Terri Sewell, another woman running for this seat. Both these women should be strong contenders.

Work harder and work smarter!

by: mooncat @ Wed Jul 01, 2009 at 09:56:28 AM CDT

by: you @ soon

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Smoot (0.00 / 0)

Folks - I'm as progressive as they come, but Shelia Smoot is one candidate where voting simply because of the candidate's party affiliation, gender, or race is not going to give the results you are looking for. I work at Jefferson County and Smoot is in way over her head in this environment. I tremble at the thought of her in Washington!

Then there's the whole issue of her ethics and criminal activity - and yes, there has been plenty. The state audit findings...they are accurate and she is still driving a county vehicle! Nepositism, kick backs, etc. all of this will be coming to light in due time.

Please, find a good, honest and qualified candidate to support for congress. Maybe we don't get to elect the first back female from Alabama to congress the time, but that's O.K. You wouldn't want the first one to be a huge embarassment - would you?

by: CrestWould @ Sun Jul 05, 2009 at 18:20:46 PM CDT

by: you @ soon

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Welcome to LIA! (4.00 / 2)

And please, share more info about this topic.

When you say "the whole issue of ethics and criminal activity," what specifically do you mean? We've had plenty of electoral activity in Madison County this spring, and I haven't paid close attention to this race.

So let us know some specifics - with links if possible, so we can all do more research too.

You can be sure that we all want the best possible Democratic candidates running. And not just candidates; we're interested in electing people who will do the best job too.

But I tend to be skeptical of vague allegations of "ethics problems" without backup - especially when I'm not very familiar with either the candidates or dynamics in the district. It's easy for supporters of a candidate's opponents to drop in and bandy about suspicion.

Certainly not saying you're making anything up or trying to smear an otherwise good candidate; just asking for more info!

I'm not short. I'm fun size!!

by: countrycat @ Sun Jul 05, 2009 at 18:40:06 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

very vague (4.00 / 1)

First time caller

We don't know you from Adams House Cat ; saying you are as progressive as they come does not get you in the door without proving your record

Where in Jefferson County do you work that you would have knowledge of this information?

ethics and criminal activity - Smoot has not been a target in any investigation

She is allowed to drive a county vehicle; in response to your mention of the State Audit findings those were county related of county procedures and not a personal audit; those have been challenged by Smoot and by the County; the issue of the vehicle goes back to 2005-06 and whether or not she was getting a vehicle and the car allowance; her office was using this as a pool vehicle

nepotism - No relative of Smoot works for Jefferson County; no relatives of Smoot has gotten any contracts; in fact she cleaned up a lot of the nepotism problems in the Roads and Transportation Dept when she first came into office in 2002

kickbacks? proof?

It is your right not to support any candidate but to come here and smear a candidate without any backup seems a little fishy.

by: gradyw @ Mon Jul 06, 2009 at 11:19:58 AM CDT

[ Parent ]