Roby Smith
2023 - Present
2027
1
Roby Smith (Republican Party) is the Iowa Treasurer of State. He assumed office on January 1, 2023. His current term ends on January 1, 2027.
Smith (Republican Party) ran for election for Iowa Treasurer of State. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Smith (Republican Party) was a member of the Iowa State Senate, representing District 47 from 2011 to 2022.
Smith served as Assistant Minority Leader from 2013 to 2014.
Biography
Smith was born in Wyandotte, Michigan. He received his bachelor's degree in business administration from Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska. Smith's career experience owning a business and working for ten years as a banker.[1][2] Smith has coached youth sports and taught financial literacy for the Junior Achievement program.[3][4]
Committee assignments
2021-2022
Smith was assigned to the following committees:
- Senate Commerce Committee
- Rules and Administration Committee
- Senate State Government Committee, Chair
- Senate Ways and Means Committee
2019-2020
Smith was assigned to the following committees:
- Senate Commerce Committee
- Rules and Administration Committee
- Senate State Government Committee, Chair
- Senate Ways and Means Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Iowa committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Rules and Administration |
| • State Government, Chair |
| • Transportation |
| • Ways and Means |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Smith served on the following committees:
| Iowa committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Commerce |
| • Local Government |
| • Transportation |
| • Ways and Means |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Smith served on the following committees:
| Iowa committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Appropriations |
| • State Government |
| • Ways and Means |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Smith served on these committees:
| Iowa committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • State Government |
| • Ways and Means |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2022
See also: Iowa Treasurer election, 2022
General election
General election for Iowa Treasurer of State
Roby Smith defeated incumbent Michael L. Fitzgerald in the general election for Iowa Treasurer of State on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Roby Smith (R) | 51.3 | 614,943 | |
| Michael L. Fitzgerald (D) | 48.7 | 584,021 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 667 | ||
| Total votes: 1,199,631 | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Iowa Treasurer of State
Incumbent Michael L. Fitzgerald advanced from the Democratic primary for Iowa Treasurer of State on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Michael L. Fitzgerald | 99.8 | 145,929 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 235 | ||
| Total votes: 146,164 | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Iowa Treasurer of State
Roby Smith advanced from the Republican primary for Iowa Treasurer of State on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Roby Smith | 99.6 | 164,191 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.4 | 603 | ||
| Total votes: 164,794 | ||||
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2018
- See also: Iowa State Senate elections, 2018
General election
General election for Iowa State Senate District 47
Incumbent Roby Smith defeated Marie Gleason in the general election for Iowa State Senate District 47 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Roby Smith (R) | 52.8 | 16,125 | |
| Marie Gleason (D) | 47.2 | 14,418 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 17 | ||
| Total votes: 30,560 | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Iowa State Senate District 47
Marie Gleason advanced from the Democratic primary for Iowa State Senate District 47 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Marie Gleason | 100.0 | 3,150 | |
| Total votes: 3,150 | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Iowa State Senate District 47
Incumbent Roby Smith advanced from the Republican primary for Iowa State Senate District 47 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Roby Smith | 100.0 | 1,741 | |
| Total votes: 1,741 | ||||
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2014
- See also: Iowa State Senate elections, 2014
Elections for the Iowa State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 14, 2014. Maria Bribriesco was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while incumbent Roby Smith was unopposed in the Republican primary. Bribriesco faced Smith in the general election.[5][6][7] Incumbent Smith defeated challenger Bribiesco in the general election.[8]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Roby Smith Incumbent |
56.4% | 14,988 | |
| Democratic | Maria Bribriesco | 43.6% | 11,580 | |
| Write-in | Write-in | 0.1% | 19 | |
| Total Votes | 26,587 | |||
2010
- See also: Iowa State Senate elections, 2010
Smith defeated Democratic candidate Richard Clewell by a margin of 13,865 to 9,432 in the November 2 general election.[9]
In the June 8 primary election, Smith defeated incumbent David Hartsuch by a margin of 2,487 to 2,307.[10]
Across the country in 2010, state senate elections were held in 43 states. 1,167 state senate seats were at stake. In all 1,167 state senate districts with an election in 2010, only 19 challengers (12 Democrats and 7 Republicans) defeated an incumbent state senator. Smith is one of the 7 Republican challengers who defeated an incumbent Republican state senator.
| Iowa State Senate, District 41 (2010) General Election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Roby Smith (R)
|
13,865 | 32.4% | ||
| Richard Clewell (D) | 9,432 | 67.6% | ||
| Iowa State Senate, District 23 - Republican Primary (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Roby Smith
|
2,487 | 51.9% | ||
| David Hartsuch | 2,307 | 48.1% | ||
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Roby Smith did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2010
Smith's website highlighted the following campaign themes:
Job Creation:
- "Iowa needs to be more business friendly to encourage job growth."
Taxes:
- "Taxes should not be increased to balance the budget."
State Budget:
- "Start requiring that all lines of pork barrel spending have a recorded vote so that it cannot sneak through hidden in a 200 page piece of legislation."
Property Taxes:
- "Stop raising property taxes to balance the budge. People should keep more of what they earn because they will save, spend, and invest those additional dollars, promoting freedom and responsibility, raising our standard of living, and benefiting the economy for us all."
Education:
- "A strong education system is critical to the long-term success of our community. Education is the foundation upon which our economy, our government, and our community is built. We cannot let that foundation crumble."
Issues
ESG
| Environmental, social, and corporate governance |
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| Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more. |
Smith took positions in opposition to environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), an approach to investing and corporate decision-making.
During his 2022 campaign for treasurer, Smith’s website stated that “Smith strongly opposes this BDS agenda and, as Treasurer, will reject any calls to break off economic ties between the state of Iowa and the people of Israel.” The website said, “The radical BSD (boycott/sanctions/divestment) movement is a hateful, anti-Semitic plan to pressure companies, governments, and other public entities to break all economic states with Israel.”[11]
State financial officers, including treasurers, auditors, and controllers, are responsible for auditing other government offices, managing payroll, and overseeing pensions. In some states, these financial officers are also responsible for investing state retirement and trust funds.
Asked about this position regarding state business with BlackRock, the pro-ESG asset management firm, Smith replied that he would defer to state lawmakers to set investment policy.[12]
Smith said, "I think when it comes to investing, the number one thing is return on the money. And then number two is to make sure that we're protecting Iowa's business and industry. We don't want to invest with someone that wants to harm agriculture ... so I think the answer is we're going to wait for the legislature to give us a directive on that.”[13]
Support for Russian divestment (March 2022)
As a state senator in March 2022, Smith advocated for the state to withdraw from investments connected to Russia.[14]
Smith said, “In light of Vladimir Putin’s abhorrent and completely unprovoked attack on the sovereign nation of Ukraine, the State of Iowa needs to strategically divest of any Russian securities it may hold and prevent any future investment with Iowa’s public funds."[15]
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Iowa scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2022
In 2022, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 10 to May 24.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to labor issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 11 to May 19.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 13 to June 14. The session was suspended from March 16 through June 3.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 14 through April 27.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 8 through May 5.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 9 through April 22.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 11 through April 29.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 12 through June 5.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the 85th Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 13 through May 2.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 14 to May 23.
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the 84th Iowa State Legislature was in session from January 9 to May 9.[18]
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Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Smith and his wife, Kari, have three children.
See also
| Iowa | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
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External links
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Candidate Iowa Treasurer of State |
Officeholder Iowa Treasurer of State |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Roby Smith for State Treasurer, “About Roby,” accessed February 3, 2023
- ↑ The Iowa Legislature, “Senator Roby Smith,” accessed February 3, 2023
- ↑ Roby Smith for State Treasurer, “About Roby,” accessed February 3, 2023
- ↑ The Iowa Legislature, “Senator Roby Smith,” accessed February 3, 2023
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Official primary election candidate list," accessed March 18, 2014
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed June 30, 2014
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Official general election candidate list," accessed July 7, 2014
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Official general election results," accessed December 1, 2014
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Official 2010 election results," accessed December 24, 2013
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Official 2010 Primary election results," accessed April 7, 2014
- ↑ Roby Smith for State Treasurer, “Roby Smith's Plan To Protect Iowa's Taxpayers,” accessed February 4, 2023
- ↑ The Neighbor, “Davenport Republican takes helm as state treasurer,” January 3, 2023
- ↑ The Neighbor, “Davenport Republican takes helm as state treasurer,” January 3, 2023
- ↑ Roby Smith for State Treasurer, “Smith Calls on Fitzgerald to Divest of Russian Securities,” March 2, 2022
- ↑ Roby Smith for State Treasurer, “Smith Calls on Fitzgerald to Divest of Russian Securities,” March 2, 2022
- ↑ ACLU Iowa, "Legislative Report & Civil Liberties Scorecard," accessed July 11, 2017
- ↑ ACLU of Iowa, "Legislative Report & Civil Liberties Scorecard," accessed July 11, 2017
- ↑ StateScape, "Session schedules," accessed August 2, 2014
- ↑ ACLU of Iowa, "Civil Liberties report card," accessed July 11, 2017
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Michael L. Fitzgerald (D) |
Iowa Treasurer of State 2023-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Iowa State Senate District 47 2011-2023 |
Succeeded by - |
| |||||||||||||||||
 |
State of Iowa Des Moines (capital) |
|---|---|
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