Taffy Howard
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Taffy Howard
|image = Taffy Howard by Gage Skidmore.jpg
|caption = Howard in 2024
|state_house = South Dakota
|district = 33rd
|alongside = David Johnson, Phil Jensen
|term_start = January 10, 2017
|term_end = January 10, 2023
|predecessor = Scott Craig
Jacqueline Sly
|successor = Curt Massie
|birth_name = Taffy Chewning
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|10|3}}
|birth_place = Decatur, Georgia, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Republican
|spouse = Mark Howard
|children = 2
|education = South Dakota State University (BS)
|website = {{URL|taffyhoward.com|Campaign website}}
|allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
|branch = {{flag|United States Air Force}}
|serviceyears = 1989–1993
}}
Taffy D. Howard (née Chewning){{cite web | url=https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/obituaries/obituaries-for-feb-12/article_5422c01b-875f-53d9-ab17-b4938279bb93.html | title=Obituaries for Feb. 12 | date=11 February 2004 }} is an American politician who formerly served from 2017 to 2023 as a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from the 33rd district.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=370301|title = Our Campaigns - Candidate - Taffy Howard}} A Republican, she has served the district since 2017.{{cite web |title=Representative Taffy Howard — 2018 |url=http://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Legislators/MemberDetail.aspx?Session=2018&Member=1314&Cleaned=True#divDetail |website=South Dakota House of Representatives |publisher=State of South Dakota |accessdate=1 August 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Hult |first1=John |title=South Dakota Running Out of Money for Pollution Control |url=https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/2018/01/16/south-dakota-running-out-money-pollution-control/1037912001/ |accessdate=1 August 2018 |work=Sioux Falls Argus Leader |date=July 15, 2018}} She unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. House to represent South Dakota's at-large congressional district in 2022.
Early life and education
Howard was born in Decatur, Georgia. Raised in a military family, she moved to South Dakota as a teenager and graduated from Lincoln High School in Sioux Falls. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from the South Dakota State University.{{Cite web|last=Staff|first=Abby Wargo Journal|title=Rapid City woman considering a run for U.S. House seat|url=https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/rapid-city-woman-considering-a-run-for-u-s-house-seat/article_580b3878-0957-5de8-8ae0-6cfc999b022a.html|access-date=2021-08-22|website=Rapid City Journal Media Group|date=13 August 2021 |language=en}}
Career
Howard served as an officer in the United States Air Force from 1990 to 1994. She was elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives in November 2016 and assumed office on January 10, 2017.{{Cite web|title=Taffy Howard|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Taffy_Howard|access-date=2021-08-22|website=Ballotpedia|language=en}} Howard also serves as vice chair of the House Committee on Appropriations.{{Cite web|title=Representative Taffy Howard - 2021|url=https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/1802/Committees|access-date=2021-08-22|website=sdlegislature.gov}}
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in South Dakota, Howard announced her intention to introduce legislation that would prevent private businesses from making vaccination mandatory for employees.{{Cite web|last=Nelson|first=Nick|title=Rep. Taffy Howard calls for defunding businesses with vaccine mandates|url=https://www.blackhillsfox.com/2021/08/06/rep-taffy-howard-calls-defunding-businesses-with-vaccine-mandates/|access-date=2021-08-22|website=blackhillsfox.com|date=6 August 2021 |language=en}}
In 2022, Howard supported legislation that would make it legal for doctors to prescribe ivermectin to treat COVID-19. There was no evidence to indicate that the drug was effective in treating COVID and there was nothing that prohibited doctors from prescribing it.{{Cite web|date=2022-02-14|title=South Dakota House OKs bill saying parasite-killing drug can be prescribed to humans|url=https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/south-dakota/south-dakota-house-passes-bill-saying-drug-used-for-killing-parasites-can-be-prescribed|access-date=2022-02-16|website=Grand Forks Herald|language=en}}
=2022 congressional election=
On August 2, 2021, Howard filed a statement of organization with the Federal Elections Commission to form an exploratory committee for the 2022 United States House of Representatives election in South Dakota.{{cite news|url=https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/forms/C00786210/1533636/|title=Taffy Howard for Congress|website=fec.gov|access-date=August 21, 2021}}{{Cite web|last=Goss|first=Austin|title=State Rep. Taffy Howard expected to announce bid for US Congress|url=https://www.kotatv.com/2021/07/27/state-rep-taffy-howard-expected-announce-bid-us-congress/|access-date=2021-08-22|website=kotatv.com|date=27 July 2021 |language=en}} On October 12, 2021, Howard officially announced that she would challenge U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson in the Republican primary.{{cite web |title=South Dakota lawmaker to challenge Johnson's US House seat |website=Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-south-dakota-election-2020-voting-presidential-elections-9c4ce4f9bb1c9208522458fde27c20ee|date=October 12, 2021 |access-date=October 12, 2021}} On June 7, 2021, Johnson defeated Howard, 59%–41%.[https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/assets/2022PrimaryStateCanvassReport.pdf State Canvas Report] sdsos.gov
Electoral history
- In November 2020, Howard was re-elected with 7,902 votes along with Phil Jensen, who received 10,251 votes.{{cite news|url=https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/assets/2020GeneralStateCanvassFinal&Certificate.pdf|title=2020 General State Canvass Final Certificate|publisher=sdsos.gov|access-date=August 21, 2021}} In June 2020, Howard received 2,831 votes and Phil Jensen received 2,297 votes to win the primary election defeating Melanie Torno who received 1,620 votes.{{cite news|url=https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/assets/2020PrimaryStateCanvassReportandCertificate.pdf|title=2020 Primary State Canvass Report and Certificate|website=sdsos.gov|access-date=August 21, 2021}}
- In November 2018, Howard was re-elected with 5,662 votes along with David Johnson who received 6,094 votes, they defeated Lills Jarding who received 3,537 votes and Nick Reid who received 2,316 votes.{{cite news|url=https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/assets/2018GeneralElectionCanvassPDF.pdf|title=2018 General State Canvass Final Certificate|publisher=sdsos.gov|access-date=August 21, 2021}} In June 2018, Howard received 2,183 votes along with Johnson who received 2,215 votes and they advanced to the general election after defeating Melanie Torno who received 1,212 votes.{{cite news|url=https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/assets/OfficialStateCanvass2018PrimaryElection.pdf|title=2018 Primary Election Official Results|website=sdsos.gov|access-date=August 21, 2021}}
- In November 2016, Howard was elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives with 7,018 votes along with Johnson, who received 8,245 votes and they defeated Jim Hadd who received 3,226 votes and Ethan Marsland who received 2,777 votes.{{cite news|url=https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/assets/2016GeneralElectionOfficialResultsStateCanvass.pdf|title=2016 General State Canvass Final Certificate|website=sdsos.gov|access-date=August 21, 2021}} In June 2016, Howard received 1,792 votes and advanced from the primary along with Johnson, who received 2,235 votes and they defeated Mike Buckingham who received 1,099 votes.{{cite news|url=https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/assets/2016PrimaryElectionOfficialResultsCanvas.pdf|title=2016 Primary Election Official Results Canvas|website=sdsos.gov|access-date=August 21, 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{South Dakota House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Howard, Taffy}}
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:Candidates in the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections
Category:Republican Party members of the South Dakota House of Representatives
Category:People from Decatur, Georgia
Category:Politicians from Rapid City, South Dakota
Category:Politicians from Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Category:University of South Dakota alumni
Category:Women state legislators in South Dakota
Category:21st-century members of the South Dakota Legislature