Adam Smith

Biography

Overview

Adam Smith is a Democratic U.S. Representative from Washington's 9th congressional district, serving since 1997. A graduate of the University of Washington School of Law, Smith previously served in the Washington State Senate starting at age 25, making him the nation's youngest state senator at the time. He is currently the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee and was the committee's chair from 2019-2022. Smith is a member of both the New Democrat Coalition and the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and serves as the dean of Washington's House delegation.

Career

Smith has been reelected 14 times since first winning his House seat in 1996 with 50.4% of the vote against Republican incumbent Randy Tate. His reelection margins have grown substantially over time—recent victories include 74.1% in 2020 and 71.6% in 2022. He chaired the House Armed Services Committee from 2019-2022 and was selected for the Borgen Project's board of directors in 2011 for his work fighting global poverty. Smith has been a long-time member of New Democrat organizations and once chaired the group's political action committee. In September 2025, he led a bipartisan House delegation to China, the first such visit since 2019.

Prior political experience

Smith was first elected to the U.S. House in 1996, defeating Republican incumbent Randy Tate with 50.4% of the vote. He has been reelected 14 times and has never faced another race nearly that close. Notable recent elections include: 1998 (65% against Ron Taber), 2000 (61.7% against Chris Vance), 2006 (65.7% against Steve Cofchin), 2008 (65% against James Postma), 2020 (74.1% against Doug Basler), 2022 (71.6% against Doug Basler in a rematch), and 2024 (65.4% against Democrat Melissa Chaudhry in a primary). Prior to his House career, Smith was elected to the Washington State Senate in 1990 at age 25, defeating a 13-year Republican incumbent to become the nation's youngest state senator.

Biographical material adapted from the Wikipedia article (retrieved April 29, 2026), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Ideology

Liberal–Conservative (DW-NOMINATE dim 1)

Liberal

Conservative

119th Congress-0.291

Secondary axis (DW-NOMINATE dim 2)(?)

−1

+1

-0.165

Source: Voteview DW-NOMINATE · 340 scored votes

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Officeholding history

Term	Seat	Term dates	Termination	Predecessor	Successor
15th	U.S. House WA-9	2025–present	In progress	Adam Smith	—
14th	U.S. House WA-9	2023–2025	Term ended	Adam Smith	Adam Smith
13th	U.S. House WA-9	2021–2023	Term ended	Adam Smith	Adam Smith
12th	U.S. House WA-9	2019–2021	Term ended	Adam Smith	Adam Smith
11th	U.S. House WA-9	2017–2019	Term ended	Adam Smith	Adam Smith
10th	U.S. House WA-9	2015–2017	Term ended	Adam Smith	Adam Smith
9th	U.S. House WA-9	2013–2015	Term ended	Adam Smith	Adam Smith
8th	U.S. House WA-9	2011–2013	Term ended	Adam Smith	Adam Smith
7th	U.S. House WA-9	2009–2011	Term ended	Adam Smith	Adam Smith
6th	U.S. House WA-9	2007–2009	Term ended	Adam Smith	Adam Smith
5th	U.S. House WA-9	2005–2007	Term ended	Adam Smith	Adam Smith
4th	U.S. House WA-9	2003–2005	Term ended	Adam Smith	Adam Smith
3rd	U.S. House WA-9	2001–2003	Term ended	Adam Smith	Adam Smith
2nd	U.S. House WA-9	1999–2001	Term ended	Adam Smith	Adam Smith
1st	U.S. House WA-9	1997–1999	Term ended	—	Adam Smith

Committee assignments

House Committee on Armed Services
HouseRanking Member· 2025–present

Current term legislation

Bills sponsored this term10

Bills cosponsored this term10

Elections

Year	Seat	Result	Vote share	Field
—	—	Pending	—	—