‘Dead wrong.’ Columbus area representatives react to Vance Smith’s controversial firing
State Rep. Vance Smith (R-Pine Mountain) has received bipartisan support from colleagues in the Georgia House of Representatives reacting to his controversial firing as the president and CEO of the Harris County Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber’s executive committee told him in a Zoom meeting Friday he was fired after voting against Gov. Brian Kemp’s tort reform bill, Senate Bill 68, which limits civil lawsuit payouts. The House barely passed the bill with a 91-82 vote.
“The gist of it was my vote on the tort reform was not representative of what the chamber stood for,” he told the Ledger-Enquirer on Monday. “Therefore, they wanted to part ways.”
Despite being on opposite sides of the political aisle, two of the Columbus area’s state representatives, Rep. Teddy Reese (D-Columbus) and Rep. Carolyn Hugley (D-Columbus), comforted Smith during his emotional thank-you address Tuesday morning in the House. They shared their thoughts with the Ledger-Enquirer about Smith and the sudden firing.
Reese said he has a great fondness for Smith, describing the Columbus area delegation as “very close.”
“When our colleagues hurt, all of us really hurt,” Reese said. “I felt my brother needed somebody up there with him and to let him know that we do love him.”
Reese expressed he felt the firing from the Harris County Chamber of Commerce was “political retribution” for his opposing vote on Kemp’s tort reform bill.
“I think the consensus is that the Harris County Chamber board was dead wrong for what they did.” Reese said. “It wasn’t necessary.”
Smith told the Ledger-Enquirer executive committee members, during their Zoom call with him, expressed their disappointment about his opposition to the tort reform.
In response to questions about the firing, Theresa Garcia Robertson, chairwoman of the Harris County chamber board, said in an email Tuesday to the Ledger-Enquirer, “We do not comment on personnel matters. What we can tell you is that we hold Vance in high regard personally and appreciate his service to our community and his district.”
Robertson is the wife of state Sen. Randy Robertson (R-Cataula), who voted in favor of the tort reform and is listed as one of the bill’s sponsors. Sen. Robertson did not reply to requests for comment before publication of this article.
Reese emphasized he thinks the firing sends a wrong message for politics in the Columbus area, calling the firing an “attack” on a “loyal” member of the Republican Party.
“We don’t play that kind of politics,” Reese said. “It was very, very disturbing to see other people that associate themselves with the Republican Party do this to one of their loyal members who served this body for a long time.”
Hugley also expressed fondness and respect for Smith during a phone conversation with the Ledger-Enquirer. Smith introduced her to his wife and family and had many personal conversations with her, Hugley said.
“He and I have been friends for a long time,” she said. “We first came to the Capitol in 1993 together, and we used to be seat mates.”
Hugley said she was “surprised” at the firing.
“Vance is a hard worker,” she said, and he’s always been a strong advocate for Harris County.”
Hugley emphasized the importance of representatives continuing to vote for what they think is right.
“I hope that Vance Smith will remain an example that a person should stand on their conviction and have courage, and as he quoted in scripture, trust in God and do the best you can for your constituents,” Hugley said.
During his speech Tuesday in the Georgia House, Smith quoted a Bible verse, Jeremiah 29:11, when he said, “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 2:50 PM.