Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore? [SEP] cast member
Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore?
Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore? is a 2006 documentary film directed by Frank Popper, which follows Missouri politician Jeff Smith's 2004 Democratic primary election campaign to the United States House of Representatives after the retirement of Dick Gephardt from his seat. The film follows Smith as he challenges Russ Carnahan, a member of the Carnahan political family and the frontrunner of a crowded Democratic primary, to capture the Democratic nomination for the seat. The movie's title references Frank Capra's "
crowded Democratic primary election for the U.S. House of Representatives to replace retiring Congressman Dick Gephardt. Beginning as an unknown, Smith finished second in the ten-candidate field, narrowly losing to Russ Carnahan. His campaign was widely recognized as an example of successful grassroots organizing. It was the subject of the documentary film "Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore?", which won the 2006 audience choice award at the Silverdocs film festival. In February 2007, the documentary aired on the award-winning PBS series "Independent Lens