President Joe Biden on Wednesday nominated a key Georgia state lawmaker to become the United States ambassador to the Dominican Republic.
State Rep. Calvin Smyre, a Black Democrat from Columbus first elected in 1974, must be confirmed by the Senate before taking his post. Smyre is acclaimed as the longest serving member of the Georgia House and has remained a crucial player in legislative affairs, especially as a go-between in negotiations between Democrats and Republicans.
Smyre, 74, was the youngest member of the House when he was first elected. He became a vice president at of Synovus Financial Corp., a Columbus-based regional bank, before retiring in 2014.
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