The Chambers of Commerce Alliance of Ventura & Santa Barbara Counties named Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, R-Santa Clarita, the Lawmaker of the Year at its annual meeting Friday at Rincon Beach Club in Carpinteria.

The 38th Assembly District representative and the Republican caucus chairman expressed his frustration with partisan gridlock.

“No matter if you are a Republican or Democrat, coastal or inland, NorCal or SoCal, we’re all in it together,” Smyth said. “If we don’t do something as a body, this whole state is going to go down, we’re going to fall and we all will be held responsible.”

Brendan Huffman, executive director of the Chamber Alliance, described Smyth’s speech as candid and forthcoming.

“His frustration showed a little bit when it comes to the lack of progress and legislators who are not as interested in building a consensus as they probably should be,” he said.

In terms of the open primary election, where voters can vote on a ballot of any party, redistricting and the presidential election, 2012 will be an exciting year, said Patrick Ellis, president and CEO of the Moorpark Chamber of Commerce and the incoming chairman of the Chamber Alliance.

“All these factors change the whole game,” he said. “Strategies go out the door and the old playbook doesn’t apply as much as it used to. The way political campaigns are run and looked at will change because it’s no longer just pandering to the base, it’s going to be where they stand on the issues.”

Ellis added that chambers of commerce will play big role by educating community members and how these races will affect them.

Guest speaker Marty Wilson, vice president of public affairs for the California Chamber of Commerce, discussed next year’s changes to the political landscape.

“It’s going to be an extremely exciting year if you follow politics in any way,” he said.

— Noozhawk business writer Alex Kacik can be reached at akacik@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.