Seth A. Howard

Seth A. Howard
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 30B district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 14, 2015
Preceded byRon George
Personal details
Born
Seth Adam Howard

(1974-03-17) March 17, 1974 (age 50)
Cheverly, Maryland, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Children1
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Marine Corps
Years of service1994–1998
Commands

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.[1]

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.[2][3] During the primary, the NRA Political Victory Fund endorsed his campaign with an 'AQ' rating.[4][5] He defeated Anne Arundel County police lieutenant Jim Fredericks in the primary election, receiving 52 percent of the vote,[6] and later defeated Democratic challenger Mitchelle Stephenson in the general election with 63.3 percent of the vote.[7]

In the legislature

Howard is sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates by Speaker Michael E. Busch, 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.[1] 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.[8][9]

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.[10] In February 2021, Howard was appointed as the chairman of the Maryland House Republican Caucus' Business and Economic Committee.[11]

In 2020, Howard was an alternate delegate for the Republican Party National Convention.[1]

Personal life

Howard is married and has a child.[1]

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.[12] 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.[13]

Gun policy

During the 2016 legislative session, Howard introduced legislation to reduce the county's archery safety zone to 50 yards.[14]

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.[15]

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.[16]

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.[17]

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.[18]

Electoral history

Maryland House of Delegates District 30B Republican primary election, 2014[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Seth Howard 1,398 52.1
Republican Jim Fredericks 1,283 47.9
Maryland House of Delegates District 30B election, 2014[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Seth Howard 9,496 63.3
Democratic Mitchelle Stephenson 5,496 36.6
Write-in 10 0.1
Maryland House of Delegates District 30B election, 2018[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Seth Howard (incumbent) 10,046 54.4
Democratic Mike Shay 8,420 45.6
Write-in 17 0.1
Maryland House of Delegates District 30B election, 2022[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Seth Howard (incumbent) 10,234 56.7
Democratic Courtney L. Buiniskis 7,804 43.3
Write-in 6 0.0

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Seth A. Howard, Maryland State Delegate". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  2. ^ Blumberg, Sara (January 4, 2014). "After 12 years, delegate from south Anne Arundel retiring". Capital Gazette. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  3. ^ Lazarick, Len (February 4, 2014). "Fresh roundup of General Assembly candidates adds fundraising figures". MarylandReporter.com. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  4. ^ "NRA-PVF | Grades | Maryland". nrapvf.org. NRA-PVF. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  5. ^ Lazarick, Len (June 11, 2014). "Updating Assembly candidates: Final roundup of races, cash, endorsements". MarylandReporter.com. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Official 2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  7. ^ Lambert, Jack; Sauers, Elisha (November 5, 2014). "County delegation retains all incumbents". Capital Gazette. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  8. ^ Kurtz, Josh (January 8, 2020). "National Conservative Group Rates Lawmakers on 2019 Votes". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  9. ^ "2019 RATINGS of MARYLAND" (PDF). ACU Ratings. American Conservative Union. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 25, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  10. ^ Kurtz, Josh (April 22, 2021). "House GOP Caucus Fills Out Leadership Team". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  11. ^ Kurtz, Josh (February 3, 2021). "News from the House: Luedtke to Rebut Hogan, Howard to Lead GOP Business Outreach". Maryland Matters. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  12. ^ Wood, Pamela (February 23, 2017). "Sick leave bill advances in General Assembly". Capital Gazette. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  13. ^ Cook, Chase (March 26, 2018). "House of Delegates passes data breach protection bill". Capital Gazette. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  14. ^ Sauers, Elisha (February 7, 2016). "Anne Arundel lawmakers take aim at archery bill". Capital Gazette. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  15. ^ Wiggins, Ovetta (March 14, 2018). "Maryland General Assembly advances bill that bans bump stocks on firearms". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  16. ^ Yeager, Amanda (March 28, 2016). "Delegates clash online over equal pay measure". Capital Gazette. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  17. ^ Cook, Chase (April 6, 2018). "After Meagan Simonaire's speech, four colleagues didn't vote on conversion therapy ban". Capital Gazette. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  18. ^ Sanchez, Olivia (March 19, 2021). "Anne Arundel delegation votes to pass transfer tax bill for housing trust fund, holds bill on larger fishing nets". Capital Gazette. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  19. ^ "Official 2014 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  20. ^ "Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  21. ^ "Official 2022 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.