Missouri Congressman Jason Smith, who is considering a campaign for the U.S. Senate, will hold a fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago later this month.
The invitation lists Gov. Mike Parson, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, Texas Congressman Ronny Jackson, Florida Congressman Brian Mast, New York Congressman Lee Zeldin and former Georgia Congressman Doug Collins as the honorary host committee. The reception is slated for April 30.
Smith, 40, represents Missouri’s 8th congressional district and has been rumored to be eyeing a run to replace Roy Blunt in the Senate. He was first elected to the district in 2013 and serves as the ranking member on the House Budget Committee. Before his tenure in Congress, Smith was a member of the Missouri Legislature where he was the speaker pro tem.
Forcing children to wear masks does not make any sense. The CDC should follow the science and not politics. pic.twitter.com/RBlUTl79RM
— Rep. Jason Smith (@RepJasonSmith) April 26, 2021
If Smith seeks the Senate seat, he is expected to be a good choice to garner Trump’s endorsement. He’s a staunch ally of the former president and supported him during a contentious debate held in St. Louis against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Attorney General Eric Schmitt and former Gov. Eric Greitens already have announced their candidacies for the Senate seat, and both Republicans have emphasized their ties to Trump. The scandal-ridden Greitens has sought to paint himself as unfairly maligned by Democrats and the media, a comparison to Trump; Schmitt has touted his defense of Trump’s agenda as attorney general.
Trump’s endorsement could be crucial in the primary. He won Missouri by more than 15 percentage points over Democrat Joe Biden in last year’s presidential race. The fundraiser “is being held at Mar-a-Lago because that’s the center of the America First agenda,” said Josh Siegel, Smith’s campaign manager.
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice
