All three will leave D.C. government in January, along with longtime Ward 5 Councilman Harry Thomas, as an era of younger and newer politicians chosen by the voters begins.

Smith recently discussed his Sept. 15 defeat in the city’s Democratic primary election, reflecting on his years of service to his LeDroit Park neighbors and other Ward 1 residents, and said he has no plans for another council run in four years.

"For now, I have satisfied my urge to serve in public office," Smith said, smiling. "I’ve had a good run at it."

Smith was first elected to office as one of the first Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners in the District.

"All I have ever wanted to do in my life is to empower poor people so that they could fend for themselves," Smith said.

He said one of his proudest achievements as a member of the council was helping write and pass the Homestead Housing Act, which helps lower-income residents buy houses.

"There’s been a lot of talk of ‘gentrification’ over the years," Smith said. "I’ve been there for 30 years and I haven’t seen any gentrification."

He credits in part his efforts to preserve the city’s rent control laws and increase homeownership for helping preserve the diversity of the ward during his tenure.

But despite 20 years of public service, including four years on the school board, Smith lost his bid for a fifth term on the council to political neophyte and former supporter Jim Graham in the September primary. He blames his loss on shifting public perceptions about politicians.

"The public is in a more hostile mood toward the government," Smith said. "People are being reminded daily of a vicious prosecution of a president. It creates an atmosphere of mean-spiritedness in the country."

He said the public still expects better of politicians but is being disappointed by them. The public sentiment against politicians today resulted in not only low voter turnout but an anti-incumbency movement which he got caught in, Smith reasoned.

"I don’t really take it personally," Smith said of his loss. "People keep asking me if I’m bitter, but I’m not."

Smith said another reason for his loss might have been because many voters today don’t remember the struggle to get the right to vote.

"When I got here 30 years ago, people didn’t have the right to vote," Smith said, recalling his civil rights background. "I think that’s the reason so many people from the civil rights movement got elected when we finally could vote."

Smith said the fact that Graham is gay could be an asset in representing the diverse ward.

"I think because he comes from a group that is treated as a minority, he has a sense of what that’s like and he has empathy for those treated like that," Smith said. " I think it’s important for him to reach out to all the groups (in the ward)."

Copyright 1998, The Common Denominator