[Theodore R.]

Smith defeated a Perry-appointed incumbent in the 2002 primary; he is now an elected incumbent challenged by a judge supported by the governor. I am not sure how this race will turn out because so few have knowledge of or apparent interest in it.

[Theodore R.]

Here's another email I received from the Smith campaign:

Supreme Court Justice Steven Wayne Smith spoke Monday at a North West Austin Republican Women lunch meeting at Chez Zee Cafe.

Though Justice Smith’s opponent, San Antonio Appeals Court Justice Paul Green was invited, he did not appear.

Tuesday evening, Justice Smith drove 65 miles to speak to a crowd of over 300 Comal County Republicans at the spacious Guadalupe Valley Telephone Cooperative auditorium in New Braunfels, less than 35 miles from downtown
San Antonio, where Justice Smith’s opponent works. Though Justice Smith’s opponent, Paul Green, was invited, he did not appear.

Thursday, Justice Smith traveled more than 200 miles to speak to theTarrant County Republican Forum in downtown Ft. Worth, where he received unsolicited endorsements by State Republican Executive Committeewomen
Shirley Spellerberg and Melba McDow. Green did not appear. Thursday night, Justice Smith appeared at the Legacy “Call to Victory” Republicanevent in Austin, at the Westover Hills Church of Christ hosted by State Republican Executive Committeewoman Pat Carlson and Committeeman Bill
Crocker. Green did not appear.


In response to Green’s non-appearances, Justice Smith’s campaign manager David Rogers said, “I thought this guy was running a real campaign. Maybe I was wrong. This is getting to be a little like ‘Where’s Waldo?’ Only
this time, the question is ‘where’s Paul-o?’”

Justice Smith, the Texas Supreme Court’s leading advocate of judicial restraint, is also an outspoken advocate of judicial free speech,prudently exercised. “I intend to share my conservative message, that,unlike the liberal elite, I believe policy issues like abortion, education funding, and homosexual rights should be decided by the
Legislature, not the courts.”

Smith, who is supported by virtually every significant grassroots conservative who has made an endorsement, firmly believes in connecting with his constituents. Many leading state Republicans, including former National Committeeman Tim Lambert, Congressman Ron Paul, former
Congressman and Railroad Commissioner Kent Hance, State House Judicial Affairs Committee Chairman Will Hartnett, and former Texas Solicitor General Greg Coleman, have endorsed Justice Smith for re-election.

Justice Smith is best known as the attorney who filed, litigated and won the Hopwood case that ended racial preferences at Texas universities from
1996 through 2003. Justice Smith has served on the Supreme Court since Nov. 20, 2002, and has been in the majority over 95% of the time since joining the Court.