Clackamas County Commissioner today announced her intention to seek the Republican nomination to oppose incumbent Rep. Kurt Schrader for Oregon's Fifth Congressional District (CD 5) seat. As a guest on both the Lars Larson radio program and the Bill Post Show, Commissioner Smith announced her bid. 

She had begun exploring the bid last October. According to Jeff Mapes of The Oregonian, Smith cited encouragement by the National Republican Congressional Committee (incidentally chaired by Oregon Rep. Greg Walden) and her confidence that she could raise funds sufficient to make a race competitive; problems with ObamaCare are helping to open donor wallets.

She joins former congressional and campaign staffer Ben Pollock in the contest to see who gets to replace Rep. Schrader.