Seth A. Howard
{{Short description|American politician (born 1974)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Seth A. Howard
| image = Delegate Seth Howard.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| state_delegate = Maryland
| district = 30B
| term_start = January 14, 2015
| term_end =
| alongside =
| predecessor = Ron George
| successor =
| birth_name = Seth Adam Howard
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|03|17}}
| birth_place = Cheverly, Maryland, U.S.
| party = Republican
| spouse =
| children = 1
| education =
| branch = United States Marine Corps
| serviceyears = 1994–1998
| commands = {{ubl|3rd Battalion, 6th Marines|290th Military Police Co}}
}}
Seth Adam Howard (born March 17, 1974) is an American politician who has served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from District 30B since 2015.
Early life and career
Howard was born in Cheverly, Maryland on March 17, 1974. He graduated Glenelg High School, and afterwards served in the United States Marine Corps from 1994 to 1998, and in the Maryland Army National Guard from 1999 to 2003. Since 2004, Howard has owned the Broadleaf Tobacco and Smoke Shop in Severna Park, Maryland.{{cite web |title=Seth A. Howard, Maryland State Delegate |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/msa17069.html |website=Maryland Manual On-Line |publisher=Maryland State Archives |access-date=November 25, 2023}}
Howard ran for the Maryland House of Delegates in 2014, seeking to succeed delegate Robert A. Costa, who announced his intent to retire after redistricting moved him to District 33B.{{cite news |last1=Blumberg |first1=Sara |title=After 12 years, delegate from south Anne Arundel retiring |url=https://www.capitalgazette.com/cg2-arc-140104cn-costa-20140104-story.html |access-date=November 25, 2023 |work=Capital Gazette |date=January 4, 2014}}{{cite news |last1=Lazarick |first1=Len |title=Fresh roundup of General Assembly candidates adds fundraising figures |url=https://marylandreporter.com/2014/02/04/fresh-roundup-of-general-assembly-candidates-adds-fundraising-figures/ |access-date=December 12, 2021 |work=MarylandReporter.com |date=February 4, 2014}} During the primary, the NRA Political Victory Fund endorsed his campaign with an 'AQ' rating.{{cite web |title=NRA-PVF {{!}} Grades {{!}} Maryland |url=https://www.nrapvf.org/grades/maryland/ |website=nrapvf.org |publisher=NRA-PVF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104205412/https://www.nrapvf.org/grades/maryland/ |archive-date=November 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |access-date=August 23, 2023 }}{{cite news |last1=Lazarick |first1=Len |title=Updating Assembly candidates: Final roundup of races, cash, endorsements |url=https://marylandreporter.com/2014/06/11/updating-assembly-candidates-final-roundup-of-races-cash-endorsements/ |access-date=December 12, 2021 |work=MarylandReporter.com |date=June 11, 2014}} He defeated Anne Arundel County police lieutenant Jim Fredericks in the primary election, receiving 52 percent of the vote, and later defeated Democratic challenger Mitchelle Stephenson in the general election with 63.3 percent of the vote.{{cite news |last1=Lambert |first1=Jack |last2=Sauers |first2=Elisha |title=County delegation retains all incumbents |url=https://www.capitalgazette.com/politics/ph-ac-cn-legislative-wrap-1105-20141104-story.html |access-date=November 25, 2023 |work=Capital Gazette |date=November 5, 2014}}
In the legislature
File:New Delegates photo op (16100977608).jpg, 2015]]
Howard was sworn into the House of Delegates on January 14, 2015, and has served as a member of the Economic Matters Committee during his entire tenure. In January 2020, the American Conservative Union gave Howard a score of 63 percent, making him the lowest-scoring Republican in the Maryland House of Delegates.{{cite news |last1=Kurtz |first1=Josh |title=National Conservative Group Rates Lawmakers on 2019 Votes |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/blog/national-conservative-group-rates-lawmakers-on-2019-votes/ |access-date=December 12, 2021 |work=Maryland Matters |date=January 8, 2020}}{{cite web |title=2019 RATINGS of MARYLAND |url=http://acuratings.conservative.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2019/09/CLA_Maryland_2019_web-1.pdf |website=ACU Ratings |publisher=American Conservative Union |access-date=December 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125033153/http://acuratings.conservative.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2019/09/CLA_Maryland_2019_web-1.pdf |archive-date=November 25, 2020}}
Howard has served as the Deputy Minority Whip for the Maryland House Republican Caucus since 2021, filling a vacancy left by the election of Delegate Christopher T. Adams to serve as the House Minority Whip.{{cite news |last1=Kurtz |first1=Josh |title=House GOP Caucus Fills Out Leadership Team |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/blog/house-gop-caucus-fills-out-leadership-team/ |access-date=December 12, 2021 |work=Maryland Matters |date=April 22, 2021}} In February 2021, Howard was appointed as the chairman of the Maryland House Republican Caucus' Business and Economic Committee.{{Cite web |last=Kurtz |first=Josh |date=February 3, 2021 |title=News from the House: Luedtke to Rebut Hogan, Howard to Lead GOP Business Outreach |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2021/02/03/news-from-the-house-luedtke-to-rebut-hogan-speech-howard-to-lead-gop-business-outreach/ |access-date=June 18, 2023 |website=Maryland Matters |language=en-US}}
In 2020, Howard was an alternate delegate for the Republican Party National Convention.
Political positions
=Business=
In February 2017, Howard voted against a bill providing workers with up to seven days of paid sick leave a year, criticizing it as a burden for small businesses.{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Pamela |title=Sick leave bill advances in General Assembly |url=https://www.capitalgazette.com/politics/bs-md-sick-leave-committee-20170223-story.html |access-date=November 25, 2023 |work=Capital Gazette |date=February 23, 2017}} During the 2018 legislative session, he introduced a bill that would require internet service providers to notify customers when their personal information is stolen in data breaches.{{cite news |last1=Cook |first1=Chase |title=House of Delegates passes data breach protection bill |url=https://www.capitalgazette.com/politics/ac-cn-data-breach-bill-0327-story.html |access-date=November 25, 2023 |work=Capital Gazette |date=March 26, 2018}}
=Gun policy=
During the 2016 legislative session, Howard introduced legislation to reduce the county's archery safety zone to 50 yards.{{cite news |last1=Sauers |first1=Elisha |title=Anne Arundel lawmakers take aim at archery bill |url=https://www.capitalgazette.com/politics/ph-ac-cn-bow-hunting-0207-20160207-story.html |access-date=November 25, 2023 |work=Capital Gazette |date=February 7, 2016}}
In March 2018, during debate on a bill to ban bump stocks following the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, Howard introduced an amendment that would grandfather in already purchased bump stocks.{{cite news |last1=Wiggins |first1=Ovetta |title=Maryland General Assembly advances bill that bans bump stocks on firearms |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/maryland-general-assembly-advances-bill-that-bans-bump-stocks-on-firearms/2018/03/14/5e6bdb14-27a8-11e8-874b-d517e912f125_story.html |access-date=November 25, 2023 |work=The Washington Post |date=March 14, 2018}}
=Minimum wage=
During the 2016 legislative session, Howard voted against a bill banning wage discrimination on the basis of gender identity, pointing to existing federal protections against sex-based wage discrimination, including the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.{{cite news |last1=Yeager |first1=Amanda |title=Delegates clash online over equal pay measure |url=https://www.capitalgazette.com/politics/ph-ac-cn-equal-pay-folo-0329-20160328-story.html |access-date=November 25, 2023 |work=Capital Gazette |date=March 28, 2016}}
=Social issues=
In April 2018, after Meagan Simonaire delivered a speech on the House floor to support a bill banning conversion therapy for LGBT teens, Howard was one of four Anne Arundel County delegates to abstain from voting on the bill.{{cite news |last1=Cook |first1=Chase |title=After Meagan Simonaire's speech, four colleagues didn't vote on conversion therapy ban |url=https://www.capitalgazette.com/politics/ac-cn-republican-20180405-story.html |access-date=November 25, 2023 |work=Capital Gazette |date=April 6, 2018}}
=Taxes=
During the 2021 legislative session, Howard voted against a bill that would allow the Anne Arundel County Council to pass a real estate transfer tax.{{cite news |last1=Sanchez |first1=Olivia |title=Anne Arundel delegation votes to pass transfer tax bill for housing trust fund, holds bill on larger fishing nets |url=https://www.capitalgazette.com/politics/ac-cn-delegation-20210319-20210319-2vt5i32ov5f7pjue4g7t3t5nf4-story.html |access-date=November 25, 2023 |work=Capital Gazette |date=March 19, 2021}}
Personal life
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Maryland House of Delegates District 30B Republican primary election, 2014{{cite web
| title = Official 2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates
| work = Maryland State Board of Elections
| url = https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2014/results/primary/gen_results_2014_1_01630B.html }}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Seth Howard
|votes = 1,398
|percentage = 52.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Jim Fredericks
|votes = 1,283
|percentage = 47.9
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Maryland House of Delegates District 30B election, 2014{{cite web
| title = Official 2014 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates
| work = Maryland State Board of Elections
| url = https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2014/results/General/gen_results_2014_2_01630B.html }}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Seth Howard
|votes = 9,496
|percentage = 63.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Mitchelle Stephenson
|votes = 5,496
|percentage = 36.6
}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
|votes = 10
|percentage = 0.1
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Maryland House of Delegates District 30B election, 2018{{cite web
| title = Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates
| work = Maryland State Board of Elections
| url = https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2018/results/general/gen_results_2018_2_01630B.html }}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Seth Howard (incumbent)
|votes = 10,046
|percentage = 54.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Mike Shay
|votes = 8,420
|percentage = 45.6
}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
|votes = 17
|percentage = 0.1
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Maryland House of Delegates District 30B election, 2022{{cite web
| title = Official 2022 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates
| work = Maryland State Board of Elections
| url = https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2022/general_results/gen_results_2022_7_42.html }}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Seth Howard (incumbent)
|votes = 10,234
|percentage = 56.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Courtney L. Buiniskis
|votes = 7,804
|percentage = 43.3
}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
|votes = 6
|percentage = 0.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Maryland House of Delegates}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Howard, Seth A.}}
Category:People from Cheverly, Maryland
Category:Republican Party members of the Maryland House of Delegates
Category:21st-century members of the Maryland General Assembly