Smith ups his profile before the convention

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- U.S. Rep. Chris Smith tends to shun the spotlight, but he couldn’t avoid the congratulations coming from his fellow Republicans today.

Smith (R-Hamilton) made an appearance this morning at the delegation breakfast, just weeks after making headlines for extracting two of his constituents from their grandparents’ home in the Republic of Georgia.

Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore came over to greet smith, who represents part of his county.

“You’re looking good,” he said.

Smith last month got an email from one of his constituents, Joseph Evans, telling him that his two daughters were stuck at their grandparents farm in the Republic of Georgia. Smith sprung into action from his district office in Hamilton, spending a week working the phones from Hamilton before heading to Tbilisi himself.

For Smith, the challenge of extracting the children played to his strengths – a nexus of his nearly three decade experience dealing with human rights, foreign affairs and constituent services.

It was also great press, especially for an incumbent who’s up for reelection against Josh Zeitz, a long-shot -- but earnest -- challenger.

Smith, however, won’t go there.

“I’m a father of four children,” he said. “For this case, two young children and a cluster of other children – mostly American, some not – were in harms way. It’s what I live for: human rights, humanitarian issues, health issues…. Whether it be political advantageous or not, it’s all about vulnerable people.”

Smith said he only put out one press release on the subject – just before he left for Tbilisi. And he only did that, he said, because as a Congressman he can’t just take off for a foreign country without notifying people.

The talk amongst Republicans here is that the event, and the flood of press coverage that came out of it, will have likely sent Smith’s numbers through the roof. Smith, however, said he never had a problem to begin with.

“We did a poll a month and a half ago… a really good, comprehensive poll. It’s two-and-a-half to one. I’m in the mid-60’s, he’s in the low 20s,” said Smith.