Bob Smith

Bob Smith served in the U.S. Navy from 1998 to 2024. He earned a bachelor's degree from Old Dominion University in 2006 and a graduate degree from Naval Postgraduate School in 2015. His career experience includes working as a engineering manager.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Bob Smith is a retired U.S. Navy officer and combat veteran who served our country for over 26 years. He is currently a Senior Engineering Fellow for a defense contractor based in Washington, D.C.

He enlisted in 1998. He served five years as an enlisted sailor, working as a technician on the formidable AEGIS Weapon System, before being selected for the Navy’s prestigious Seaman to Admiral program, which allowed him to attend Old Dominion University for a B.S. in General Engineering Technology. After commissioning as a Navy officer in 2006, he served as a Surface Warfare Officer, leading the enlisted men and women he once was part of through multiple combat deployments. He earned an M.S. in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. He spent the remainder of his career as an Engineering Duty Officer, directing development programs for the Navy’s newest weapon systems.

Bob has exemplified leadership in serving our country, progressing from a junior enlisted member to a senior officer in the U.S. Navy. He has excelled through significant challenges in our national defense by building diverse teams and guiding those perspectives to successful solutions, including delivering the Navy’s newest ballistic missile defense platform, which earned him the U.S. Navy’s Best Engineer of the Year award for 2023. Bob aims to bring that bipartisan leadership to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Bob retired after 26 years of service in the U.S. Navy. He worked his way up from an enlisted recruit to a senior officer, serving in multiple combat deployments and working with great Americans from every walk of life in stressful situations. After hanging up his uniform, he quickly realized that he was not finished serving our country.We need to heal the extreme partisan divide in our politics. The decline of the middle class is a significant factor in the ongoing extreme shift to the left and the right. We must heal this country and start communicating with one another. If we remain toxic, so will our representation.The world faces numerous geopolitical issues today that require strong American leadership. Our Congress cannot afford to be ineffective. The 24th district owes it to our country to provide the most capable leadership possible, not career campaigners.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

1. Home ownership - the social contract in CA is broken. Equity has been stripped from the middle class which has adversely impacted partisan politics, crime, decline in public school education, neighborhood stability, and local civic engagement. When Americans own homes, have financial stability, save for retirement, and save for children’s college, everyone benefits.

2. Peace through Strength - Our military has lost decades on our competitors. We must be so far ahead technologically, that war with the U.S. is not an option for anyone.

3. Jobs - space industry, AI, and fusion energy are the future. The 24th district should strive to bring these tech jobs here and stop the hemorrhage of tech companies to other states.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Washington had absolute power and twice willingly gave it up. Washington showed us that term limits and lifetime elected office corruption contradict our American ideals. These acts by Washington solidified our Constitution and made him a model of our virtues. Lincoln, at a time when our country was most fractured, sought to heal our partisan and national divide. Lincoln led our country through its darkest hour and saved the United States.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

The Gettysburg Address. Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address reminds us that democracy is not self-sustaining—it relies on the living to carry forward its ideals. Today, we must strive for equality and a government serving the people.

Lincoln called for “a new birth of freedom,” and that challenge still stands. We must elect leaders who reflect the people's will and work to improve the nation, not for power, but for purpose. Our democracy, just like in Lincoln’s time, is only as strong as our commitment to it.

If America fails to lead with integrity, the world becomes a less hopeful. This is more than a reflection—it’s a call to action. Our responsibility is to preserve a government of the people, by the people, for the people.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Leadership, Work Ethic, Servitude, Active Listening, and Problem-Solving Ability.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Our country needs leaders in Congress who can find solutions and heal the partisan divide. The world, nation, state, and the 24th District face too many complex challenges. We require principled yet practical leaders who can build consensus and pursue common ground.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The Challenger disaster was the first historical event that I remember having a significant impact on me. I was in Catholic School at the time, in second grade. Our classroom watched the launch live, since Christa McAuliffe was a highly publicized school teacher on that space flight.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I served in the U.S. Navy for over 26 years. I enlisted at age 18. I earned a commission as a Surface Warfare Officer and then Engineering Duty Officer. I retired as a Commander.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

The two-year term limit for representatives results in perpetual campaigning. I propose four-year term limits, with states staggering their districts equally between presidential and midterm elections. This approach would allow our legislators to exit the campaign cycle and focus on crafting legislation.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I support term limits and firmly believe career politicians are detrimental to our government. While there is value in having decades of experience in elected office, those with that experience often use it for their own special interests and personal gain. Moreover, having experience in the workforce and being accountable for delivering results cultivates skills that many career politicians lack. Imagine working in a career where deadlines, due dates, product development, or service delivery have never impacted your career advancement or your ability to support your family. The life of a career politician and the personal gain from it seems nonsensical to the rest of us hardworking Americans.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Congress should work across party lines to achieve bipartisan solutions. They should strive to adequately represent all individuals in their districts, regardless of party affiliation.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

The Federal and State Government owe complete transparency and auditing of where tax dollars are spent.