{{Short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Shap Smith |image = Shap Smith.jpg |office = 92nd Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives |governor = Peter Shumlin |term_start = January 8, 2009 |term_end = January 4, 2017 |predecessor = Gaye Symington |successor = Mitzi Johnson |state_house1 = Vermont |district1 = Lamoille-Washington 1 |term_start1 = January 9, 2003 |term_end1 = January 2017 |predecessor1 = None ''(new district created)''<ref>{{cite news | title=In re Reapportionment of Towns of Woodbury and Worcester| date=September 13, 2004 | publisher=Vermont Supreme Court | url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=9997711930811825791}}</ref> |successor1 = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|12|16}} |birth_place = Danbury, Connecticut, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Democratic |spouse = Melissa Volansky |alma_mater = University of Vermont<br>Indiana University Bloomington }} '''Shapleigh "Shap" Smith Jr.''' (born December 16, 1965) is an American politician who served as the 92nd Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives.
In August 2015 Smith announced his candidacy for the 2016 Democratic nomination for Governor of Vermont. In November he suspended his campaign, citing the need to spend time with his wife after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After his wife's health improved, he considered reentering the gubernatorial race but did not think he could raise the required funds in time,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://m.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2016/05/18/shap-smith-to-run-for-lieutenant-governor|title=Shap Smith to Run for Lieutenant Governor|website=Seven Days|access-date=June 14, 2016}}</ref> so he entered the race for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont instead. He announced his candidacy in May 2016, and finished second to David Zuckerman in the Democratic primary.<ref name="DeSmet">{{cite web | last=DeSmet | first=Nicole Higgins | title=Zuckerman wins race for Dems lt. governor | website=Burlington Free Press | date=August 9, 2016 | url=http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/politics/2016/08/09/zuckerman-wins-race-dems-lt-governor/88292910/ | accessdate=August 11, 2016}}</ref>
==Biography== Smith graduated from the University of Vermont (B.A., 1987), and is a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He also attended the Indiana University Bloomington School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1991). He is an attorney and shareholder with the law firm of Dinse, Knapp & McAndrew, P.C. in Burlington.
Smith, a Democrat, was first elected to the Vermont House in 2002. He represented the Lamoille-Washington 1 District, which includes the Towns of Elmore and Morristown in Lamoille County and Woodbury and Worcester in Washington County.
Early in his House career he was a member of the Ways & Means and Joint Fiscal Committees. On December 6, 2008, House Democrats, who held a 95–48 majority, nominated Smith to be the next Speaker of the Vermont House.<ref>{{cite news | title=Morrisville lawmaker nominated as House Speaker | date=December 6, 2008 | publisher=WCAX.com (WCAX-TV Channel 3) | url=http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=9473620}}</ref> He was elected Speaker on January 8, 2009,<ref>{{cite news | title=Speaker chosen, committees named, $120M bond proposed | date=January 8, 2009 | publisher=Barre-Montpelier (Vermont) Times-Argus | url=http://timesargus.com/article/20090108/NEWS01/901080366/1002/NEWS01}}</ref> and was re-elected on January 5, 2011, January 8, 2013, and January 7, 2015.
On August 20, 2015, Smith announced his candidacy for the 2016 Democratic nomination for governor.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ledbetter |first=Stewart |date=August 20, 2015 |title=Shap Smith announces he's running for VT governor |url=http://www.wptz.com/news/shap-smith-announces-hes-running-for-vt-governor/34800634 |newspaper=WPTZ-TV |location=Plattsburgh, New York}}</ref> In November he withdrew, following his wife's breast cancer diagnosis.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ledbetter |first=Stewart |date=November 18, 2015 |title=Shap Smith ends bid for governor: Wife diagnosed with cancer; Plans to complete final term as House speaker |url=http://www.wptz.com/news/gubernatorial-candidate-shap-smith-expected-to-make-announcement/36497306 |newspaper=WPTZ-TV |location=Plattsburgh, NY}}</ref> Smith indicated in his withdrawal announcement that he was ending his campaign in order to spend more time with his wife during her treatment.<ref>{{cite news |last=Burbank |first=April |date=November 17, 2015 |title=Shap Smith suspends campaign for governor |url=http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/2015/11/17/shap-smith-to-make-campaign-announcement/75932852/ |newspaper=Burlington Free Press |location=Burlington, Vermont}}</ref>
Smith announced in May 2016 that he would be a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont, citing his wife's improved health and a desire to continue a career in public service.<ref>{{cite news |last=Heintz |first=Paul |date=May 18, 2016 |title=Shap Smith to Run for Lieutenant Governor |url=http://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2016/05/18/shap-smith-to-run-for-lieutenant-governor |newspaper=Seven Days |location=Shelburne, Vermont}}</ref> A few days before the August 9 primary, he earned the endorsement of former Vermont Governor Howard Dean.<ref>{{cite web | last=Heintz | first=Paul | title=In Race for LG, Sanders Endorses Zuckerman, Dean Backs Smith | website=Seven Days | date=August 2, 2016 | url=http://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2016/08/02/bernie-sanders-endorses-david-zuckerman-for-lt-governor | accessdate=August 6, 2016}}</ref> Smith finished second in the Democratic primary, losing to Democrat/Progressive David Zuckerman, who had been endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders.<ref name="DeSmet"/>
==Personal life== Smith resides in Morristown with his wife, Melissa Volansky, and his two children.
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== *[http://speaker.vermont.gov/ Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives] *[http://www.dinse.com/attorneys/shapleigh-smith-jr.html Shapleigh Smith, Jr., Esq., Dinse Knapp & McAndrew, P.C.] *[http://vermont-elections.org/2009-2010BioBook/h-lam-wash.htm Lamoille-Washington 1 District 2009–10]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Shap}} Category:1965 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century members of the Vermont General Assembly Category:Indiana University Maurer School of Law alumni Category:Politicians from Danbury, Connecticut Category:People from Morristown, Vermont Category:Speakers of the Vermont House of Representatives Category:Democratic Party members of the Vermont House of Representatives Category:University of Vermont alumni Category:Vermont lawyers Category:Candidates in the 2016 United States elections Category:Phi Delta Theta members