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'''John True Smithee''' (born September 7, 1951) is an [[attorney]] from [[Amarillo]], [[Texas]],<ref name=pvs/> who has been the [[Republican Party|Republican]] state representative for District 86 in the Texas Panhandle since January 1985.<ref name=tlrl>{{cite web|url=https://lrl.texas.gov/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=238&searchparams=chamber=H~city=~countyID=0~RcountyID=~district=86~first=John~gender=~last=Smithee~leaderNote=~leg=~party=Republican~roleDesc=~Committee=|title=John T. Smithee|publisher=Texas Legislative Reference Library|accessdate=September 24, 2020}}</ref>

'''John True Smithee''' (born September 7, 1951) is an [[attorney]] from [[Amarillo]], [[Texas]],<ref name=pvs/> who has been the [[Republican Party|Republican]] state representative for District 86 in the Texas Panhandle since January 1985.<ref name=tlrl>{{cite web|url=https://lrl.texas.gov/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=238&searchparams=chamber=H~city=~countyID=0~RcountyID=~district=86~first=John~gender=~last=Smithee~leaderNote=~leg=~party=Republican~roleDesc=~Committee=|title=John T. Smithee|publisher=Texas Legislative Reference Library|accessdate=September 24, 2020}}</ref>

Although Smithee succeeded a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Robert Dwight "Bob" Simpson (born 1943), who had served for a decade, District 86 is perhaps the most Republican House jurisdiction in the entire state.  Voters there cast more than 83 percent of their ballots for [[Mitt Romney]] in his failed 2012  race against  [[U.S. President]] [[Barack H. Obama]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lubbockonline.com/local-news/2013-11-08/democrats-not-jumping-chance-run-west-texas-statewide-office|author=Enrique Rangel|title=Democrats not jumping at chance to run for West Texas, statewide office: The Wendy Davis factorpublisher=''The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal''|accessdate=November 9, 2013}}</ref>

Although Smithee succeeded a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Robert Dwight "Bob" Simpson (born 1943), who had served for a decade, District 86 is perhaps the most Republican House jurisdiction in the entire state.  Voters there cast more than 83 percent of their ballots for [[Mitt Romney]] in his failed 2012  race against  [[U.S. President]] [[Barack H. Obama]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lubbockonline.com/local-news/2013-11-08/democrats-not-jumping-chance-run-west-texas-statewide-office|author=Enrique Rangel|title=Democrats not jumping at chance to run for West Texas, statewide office: The Wendy Davis factor |publisher=''The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal''|accessdate=November 9, 2013}}</ref>

District 86 includes [[rural]] Dallam, Hartley, Oldham, and Deaf Smith counties. Smithee represents the Randall County portion of Amarillo, some 40 percent of the population, located to the south of the central city. The remainder of Amarillo, the seat of Potter County, is represented by Smithee's Republican colleague, [[Four Price]], also an Amarillo lawyer.<ref name=tlrl/>

District 86 includes [[rural]] Dallam, Hartley, Oldham, and Deaf Smith counties. Smithee represents the Randall County portion of Amarillo, some 40 percent of the population, located to the south of the central city. The remainder of Amarillo, the seat of Potter County, is represented by Smithee's Republican colleague, [[Four Price]], also an Amarillo lawyer.<ref name=tlrl/>

Smithee is the former chairman of the House Insurance Committee and serves on the State Affairs and Higher Education committees.<ref name=pvs/>

Smithee is the former chairman of the House Insurance Committee and serves on the State Affairs and Higher Education committees.<ref name=pvs/>

Smithee was first elected to the Texas House in 1984, when he was thirty-three. He was reelected to his twelfth two-year term in 2006 with 86.5 percent of the vote over a [[Libertarian Party|Libertarian opponent.<ref name=tlrl/> He holds the [[Juris Doctor]]ate from [[Texas Tech University]] in [[Lubbock]]. He is married to Becky Lynn Smithee (born January 7, 1956).<ref name=pvs>{{cite web|url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/5581/john-smithee|title=John Smithee|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=September 24, 2020}}</ref>

Smithee was first elected to the Texas House in 1984, when he was thirty-three. He was re-elected to his twelfth two-year term in 2006 with 86.5 percent of the vote over a [[Libertarian Party|Libertarian]] opponent.<ref name=tlrl/> He holds a [[Juris Doctor]]ate from [[Texas Tech University]] in [[Lubbock]]. He is married to Becky Lynn Smithee (born January 7, 1956).<ref name=pvs>{{cite web|url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/5581/john-smithee|title=John Smithee|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=September 24, 2020}}</ref>