Taffy Howard
Member of the South Dakota House of Representatives
from the 33rd district
Assumed office
January 10, 2017
Preceded byScott Craig
Jacqueline Sly
Personal details
Born
Taffy Chewning

(1968-10-03) October 3, 1968 (age 55)
Decatur, Georgia, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseMark Howard
Children2
EducationSouth Dakota State University (BS)
WebsiteCampaign website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Air Force
Years of service1989–1993

Taffy D. Howard (née Chewning)[1] is an American small business owner and politician serving as a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from the 33rd district.[2] A Republican, she has served the district since 2017.[3][4] 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.[5]

Career

Howard served as an officer in the United States Air Force from 1990 to 1994.[5] She was elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives in November 2016 and assumed office on January 10, 2017.[6] Howard also serves as vice chair of the House Committee on Appropriations.[7]

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.[8]

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.[9]

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.[10][11] On October 12, 2021, Howard officially announced that she would challenge U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson in the Republican primary.[12] On June 7, 2021, Johnson defeated Howard, 59%–40%.[13]

Electoral history

References

  1. ^ "Obituaries for Feb. 12".
  2. ^ "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Taffy Howard".
  3. ^ "Representative Taffy Howard — 2018". South Dakota House of Representatives. State of South Dakota. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  4. ^ Hult, John (July 15, 2018). "South Dakota Running Out of Money for Pollution Control". Sioux Falls Argus Leader. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  5. ^ a b Staff, Abby Wargo Journal. "Rapid City woman considering a run for U.S. House seat". Rapid City Journal Media Group. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  6. ^ "Taffy Howard". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  7. ^ "Representative Taffy Howard - 2021". sdlegislature.gov. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  8. ^ Nelson, Nick. "Rep. Taffy Howard calls for defunding businesses with vaccine mandates". blackhillsfox.com. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  9. ^ "South Dakota House OKs bill saying parasite-killing drug can be prescribed to humans". Grand Forks Herald. 2022-02-14. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
  10. ^ "Taffy Howard for Congress". fec.gov. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  11. ^ Goss, Austin. "State Rep. Taffy Howard expected to announce bid for US Congress". kotatv.com. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  12. ^ "South Dakota lawmaker to challenge Johnson's US House seat". Associated Press. October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  13. ^ State Canvas Report sdsos.gov
  14. ^ "2020 General State Canvass Final Certificate" (PDF). sdsos.gov. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  15. ^ "2020 Primary State Canvass Report and Certificate" (PDF). sdsos.gov. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  16. ^ "2018 General State Canvass Final Certificate" (PDF). sdsos.gov. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  17. ^ "2018 Primary Election Official Results" (PDF). sdsos.gov. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  18. ^ "2016 General State Canvass Final Certificate" (PDF). sdsos.gov. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  19. ^ "2016 Primary Election Official Results Canvas" (PDF). sdsos.gov. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
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