Al Smith Running For Board President
Charles District 3 Race Now Open

By Philip Rucker
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, June 11, 2006

Charles County Commissioner Al Smith, the outspoken Waldorf Republican who has held the District 3 seat for five years, is running to challenge current Board of Commissioners President Wayne Cooper in this fall's election.

Smith is giving up what political observers say is a safe seat on the commission in an attempt to wrestle the reins of county government from Cooper (D-At Large), arguing that the county needs new leadership at a time of continuing growth and change.

"I think we need bold and dynamic and courageous leadership to lead this county in meeting the challenges it's going to meet in the next four years, and to prepare this county for the next 30 to 50 years," Smith said in an interview at the stamp and seal business he owns and operates in Waldorf.

Pointing to his 30 years in the military, Smith said he has the experience and judgment to make tough decisions for the county.

"The principled leadership and values and integrity that I had in my military career have continued to serve me well in my civilian career and will continue until the day I die," Smith said. "They know where I stand on an issue. I'm not an ambivalent guy, and I don't vacillate. Whether you agree or disagree with me, you know where Al Smith stands on an issue. I am not a puppet on anyone else's string."

Smith is known for his patriotic statements and displays. His business trucks are decorated in red, white and blue, and his stamp shop is brimming with U.S. flags and support-the-troops signs.

He said he decided to challenge Cooper after he lost confidence in Cooper's ability to lead the commission.

"I consider myself a good follower when I have good leadership to follow, but there comes a time in a man's life when he feels he needs to step up and assume that role of leadership, and for me that time has come," Smith said.

Cooper balked at Smith's statements about his role as leader of the five elected commissioners.

Smith has been on the board for five years, Cooper noted. "He's had an opportunity to perform and bring up any suggestions. . . . Where have they been?"

Cooper said he will continue to work with his fellow commissioners to improve quality of life in the county by bringing jobs to the area and preserving natural resources.

"The main thing I want to do is have quality growth -- not quantity, but quality," Cooper said. "The only way we're really going to be able to lower taxes is by bringing in good jobs and good businesses to the county."

Cooper, 59, a retired environmental contractor, was elected commissioner in 2002 after serving on the school board. In 2004, he was appointed to replace Murray D. Levy (D) as commissioners president when Levy was elected to the House of Delegates. Levy is supporting Cooper in this fall's race.

"I believe he's got the right temperament and the right skills to work with the other commissioners and form a cohesive unit," Levy said. "Cooperation and collegiality are absolutely critical for that form of government to be successful."

Smith said he will fight to lower county taxes, improve public safety, increase affordable housing options and protect the county's natural resources.

One of Smith's main goals is to balance growth to encourage more commercial development that would keep up with the area's residential growth. He said he hopes to attract military and homeland security jobs, as well as other highly paid employment options, to the county.

Smith, 61, was appointed in 2001 to fill a vacancy on the county Board of Commissioners. He and his wife both underwent heart surgery in recent months, but Smith said he is fully recovered and rejuvenated.

John Rutherford, chairman of the Charles County Republican Central Committee, said he thinks Smith is well positioned to defeat Cooper.

"Al just has a tremendous amount of name recognition," Rutherford said. "He just needs to win the sign war. He needs to get a ton of signs out before the election."

A third candidate, James Coffey, a Republican of La Plata, filed to run for commissioners president last week. Coffey did not return a call on Friday seeking comment on his candidacy.

In Charles County, four of the five commissioners run from election districts. The commissioners president post is an at-large office. However, the voting for all five commissioners is county-wide.

Cooper is the only Democrat running so far, but others may file before the July 3 deadline. The candidates face party primary elections Sept. 12 and then the general election campaign.

Smith's entrance into the commissioners president race means the campaign for the north Waldorf-based District 3 seat he holds will be an open contest. Two candidates so far have filed to replace him: Democrat Reuben Collins, a Waldorf lawyer, and Republican Jim Thompson, a Waldorf man who is a cashier at a Safeway grocery store.

On his job, Thompson, 55, said he talks to hundreds of customers each day, and he said he believes county residents want fresh faces in government.

"The county's in the mood for change and is not happy with the present commissioners in general," he said.

Thompson promised to implement more long-range planning when it comes to infrastructure and growth.

A call to candidate Collins on Friday seeking comment was not returned.