Representative Linda Smith

Linda Smith is an American politician who served as a Representative from Washington in the United States Congress from January 3, 1995, to January 3, 1999. A member of the Republican Party, she represented Washington’s 3rd Congressional District for two terms and contributed to the legislative process during a period of significant political change in the mid‑1990s. She is distinct from several other notable individuals named Linda Smith, including Linda Smith (comedian) (1958–2006), an English radio comedy performer, stand-up comic, and writer; Linda Smith (novelist) (1949–2007), a Canadian writer of children’s fiction; Linda B. Smith, an American psychology professor active since 1993; Linda Smith (dancer), an American artistic director in the Utah Repertory Dance Theatre; Linda Catlin Smith (born 1957), a composer; Linda Ellerbee (born 1944), a journalist also known as Linda Smith; Linda Smith Dyer (1946–2001), an American women’s rights activist; Linda Tuhiwai Smith, a New Zealand education academic; Linda Smith (musician), an American home recording artist; Linda Smith (bowls), a Hong Kong international lawn bowler; and Linda C. Smith, a professor at the University of Illinois School of Information Sciences.

Born in 1950, Linda Smith grew up in the Pacific Northwest, where she developed an early interest in civic affairs and community engagement. Her formative years coincided with a period of social and political change in the United States, and she became active in local issues before entering formal public office. Although detailed records of her early family life and primary and secondary education are less widely documented than her public career, her subsequent trajectory in state and national politics reflects a long-standing commitment to public service and to representing the interests of her community.

Smith’s education and early professional life laid the groundwork for her later political career. Prior to her election to federal office, she became involved in local and state-level public policy, gaining experience in budgeting, constituent services, and legislative procedure. This period helped her build a reputation as an engaged and accessible public servant, and it provided the foundation for her later campaigns for higher office. Her work in these years also connected her with party organizations and grassroots networks that would prove essential when she sought a seat in Congress.

Before her election to the U.S. House of Representatives, Smith served in the Washington State Legislature, where she further developed her legislative skills and policy interests. In state office, she worked within the Republican Party framework while focusing on issues of concern to her district, including economic development and the impact of federal and state regulations on local communities. Her tenure in state government increased her visibility and credibility as a candidate for national office, and it introduced her to the broader coalition of voters she would later represent in Congress.

In 1994, amid a national shift that brought many new Republican members to Congress, Linda Smith was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Washington, beginning her first term on January 3, 1995. Serving during a significant period in American history marked by debates over federal spending, welfare reform, and regulatory policy, she participated in the democratic process as part of a new Republican majority. As a member of the House of Representatives, she represented the interests of constituents in Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, engaged in committee work, and contributed to legislative deliberations on domestic policy, fiscal issues, and governance reforms. She was reelected for a second term, serving continuously until January 3, 1999.

During her two terms in Congress, Smith’s work reflected the priorities of her party and her district. She took part in votes on major legislation that defined the 104th and 105th Congresses and was involved in oversight and policy discussions that shaped the federal government’s role in economic and social issues. Her service coincided with heightened public attention to ethics, government accountability, and the balance of power between the federal government and the states, and she participated in these debates as a Republican representative from Washington. Throughout her tenure, she maintained a focus on constituent services, ensuring that residents of her district had representation in federal matters ranging from economic concerns to access to federal programs.

Linda Smith left the House of Representatives at the conclusion of her second term on January 3, 1999. Her congressional service from 1995 to 1999 remains the central period of her national public career and is recognized in the historical record of Washington’s representation in Congress. In the years following her departure from elected office, she continued to be associated with public affairs and advocacy consistent with the interests and values she had advanced while in government. Her career is documented alongside other public figures sharing the name Linda Smith, but her identity as Linda Smith (American politician) (born 1950), American congresswoman, 1995–1999, distinguishes her within that broader group of individuals who have achieved prominence in fields such as politics, academia, the arts, journalism, and athletics.