Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. Smithee, a 73-year-old attorney, is a long-serving Republican state representative from Amarillo. He is one of the most senior members of the House, serving in the Texas Legislature since 1985. He represents Texas House District 86, a solidly red area in the Texas Panhandle that includes Armstrong, Dallam, Deaf Smith, Hartley, Oldham, Parmer and Randall counties.