Changes

==Generous political donor==

==Generous political donor==

Smith was a registered [[Democratic Party|Democrat]].[24] He and his wife Bertie, who listed their occupations as "retired investors," donated to numerous political campaigns, mostly those of [[Republican Party|Republicans]]. In 2003, each gave the $2,000 maximum contribution permitted to [[U.S. President]] [[George W. Bush]]'s reelection campaign. Each donated $3,000 to State Treasurer [[John Neely Kennedy]]'s thens then Democratic campaign for the United States Senate. Kennedy switched parties in 2007 and was reelected treasurer as a Republican.He became a [[U.S. Senator]] in 2017.

Smith was a registered [[Democratic Party|Democrat]]. [24] He and his wife Bertie, who listed their occupations as "retired investors," donated to numerous political campaigns, mostly those of [[Republican Party|Republicans]]. In 2003, each gave the $2,000 maximum contribution permitted to [[U.S. President]] [[George W. Bush]]'s reelection campaign against [[John Kerry]]. Each donated $3,000 to state Treasurer [[John Neely Kennedy]]'s then Democratic campaign for the United States Senate in 2008. Kennedy switched parties in 2007 and was reelected treasurer as a Republican. He became a Republican [[U.S. Senator]] in 2017.

 

In 2004, Smith gave $2,000 directly to the [[Republican National Committee]], and Mrs. Smith has given similar amounts to the RNC in recent years too.[25] The couple also gave $2,000 each in 2004 to the unsuccessful 5th congressional district campaign of the Alexandria Republican [[Jock Scott]], who lost to the Democrat-turned-Republican incumbent,  [[Rodney Alexander]]. Smith himself gave $2,500 to later Governor [[Bobby Jindal]],  who was elected in 2004 and 2006 to the United States House of Representatives in the New Orleans suburbs.[25] In 2003, he gave $2,000 to Republican U.S. Representative (later U.S. Senator) [[David Vitter]] of New Orleans and $1,250 to Republican Representative James Otis "Jim" McCrery, III, of [[Shreveport]], who retired from Congress in 2013.

In 2004, Smith gave $2,000 directly to the [[Republican National Committee]], and Mrs. Smith has given similar amounts to the RNC in recent years too.[25] The couple also gave $2,000 each in 2004 to the unsuccessful 5th congressional district campaign of the Alexandria Republican [[Jock Scott]], who lost to the Democrat-turned-Republican incumbent,  [[Rodney Alexander]]. Smith himself gave $2,500 to later Governor [[Bobby Jindal]],  who was elected in 2004 and 2006 to the United States House of Representatives in the New Orleans suburbs.[25] In 2003, he gave $2,000 to Republican U.S. Representative (later U.S. Senator) [[David Vitter]] of New Orleans and $1,250 to Republican Representative James Otis "Jim" McCrery, III, of [[Shreveport]], who retired from Congress in 2013.