Tiffany Smiley

Tiffany Smiley grew up on a small farm in rural Washington- riding horses, raising 4-H animals, and playing sports. Life on the farm instilled a work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit that has proven invaluable throughout her life.

Service was also an important theme in Smiley's young life as she dreamed of becoming a nurse to care for those in her community. In 2004, she was the first person in her family to graduate with a BS degree in nursing from Whitworth University. Shortly thereafter she married Scotty Smiley, her high school sweetheart and a newly commissioned officer in the US Army. To the Smileys, it seemed that they had achieved their version of the American Dream. But in April 2005, Smiley received a call that Scotty had been blinded by a suicide car bomber in Mosul, Iraq. At 23, she quit her nursing job and flew to Walter Reed Army Medical Center to be by her husband’s side.

At Walter Reed, Smiley learned quickly that she was going to have to be Scotty’s advocate and fight for his dreams and the care he had earned. For Smiley, her experience standing up to the military bureaucracy highlighted the challenges facing many service members and their families. As a nurse, she understood the medical environment and took an active role in Scotty’s treatment. As a new Army spouse she was unintimidated by the ranks of the officers urging her to sign Scotty’s discharge paperwork, fighting instead for his continued service on active duty - something that had never been done before. It was during that period that she promised herself that once Scotty was recovered she would come back to be the advocate for all those who didn’t have a voice in the military system.

True to her promise, Smiley’s desire to serve America’s wounded heroes took her to Capitol Hill as a private citizen where she met with anyone who would listen to her. She built coalitions with members from both sides of the aisle and eventually achieved real reform in the VA, helping the catastrophically injured and their caregivers.

This past election cycle, drawing on her experiences as a veteran's advocate, Smiley sought to serve once again - this time for the people of Washington state. Throughout her nineteen months on the campaign trail for the U.S. Senate, Smiley was a tireless advocate for policies that sought to expand economic opportunity, support Washington’s men and women in law enforcement, and address the drug and homeless crises plaguing Washington communities. And as the mother of three school-age boys, Smiley was outspoken about the importance of parental involvement in schools.

Smiley could have easily returned to private life after a grueling campaign, but that would not be the Smiley way. As she and Scotty tell their boys, when you have the opportunity to stand up and do what’s right, you do it! Smiley looks forward to continuing her family’s tradition of service through the works of Endeavor PAC, fighting for Americans’ priorities over the priorities of government bureaucrats and special interests to best address the challenges facing our country.