Progressive Candidate Exton Howard has big plans for Georgia

Remember to get out and vote Tuesday, April 18th!

Georgia’s State Senate District 32nd will be electing a new state Senator, and the 6th Congressional District will be electing a new U.S. congressional representative this Tuesday, April 18 2017. We at Voices believe that local elections are a big deal. Our civil liberties are made or broken in city hall. We therefore ask all of our readers to encourage Georgians in these districts get out and vote! Let’s show republicans just what progressives can accomplish by working together.

Election day is this Tuesday, April 18th for the 6th Congressional District and State Senate District 32 in Georgia. Find out about your polling location and learn more about how and when to vote.

Exton Howard is just one of the Democrats in the running for State Senate. He believes we should all work together for the betterment of all citizens, and he has big plans to do his part. He will bring STEM jobs to the district and plans to increase green spaces to encourage biking and walking. This and introducing public metro system will help to solve the traffic congestion problems currently seen by the district. Exton believes everyone has a right to healthcare and will work hard to improve lives in Georgia. He brings a progressive voice to next week’s State Senate election.

There are three Democrats in the running for the district’s State Senate position. We’ve therefore asked both Exton Howard and Christine Triebsch to answer a series of questions which we hope will educate voters to better make their choice. We loved what Exton had to say.

Our interview with Exton Howard:

Considering you are not a career politician, who or what inspired you to run for office?

I spent a decade in local news where I got to meet politicians from city councilmen to presidential candidates. I was tired of hearing how they wanted to help people, but couldn’t raise the minimum wage or give everyone healthcare. Additionally, I was living in Kentucky when Senator Mitch McConnell was saying that the goal of the Republican property was to make President Obama a 1 term president. That’s not the America I know and love. The America I know and love is where we all work together for the betterment of all or our citizens.

What issues are most important to you and your campaign?

From talking to the voters I have found that the major issues in people’s mind are healthcare, education, and jobs. But congestion keeps coming up more and more in conversations with people. I couldn’t agree more. When my wife and I bought our home, she worked in midtown. It was about a 2 hour drive for her, each way, each day. That’s 80 hours a month stuck in traffic. And there are people all over the district who are experiencing the same thing. So I am fighting for a light rail and expansion of public transit across the district. Without expansion of public transit we will choke off our cities.

Do you want Single Payer health care or to keep and tweak ACA?

I believe healthcare is a right. Every other modern country guarantees healthcare to their citizens. I think that it should be the case here in the United States. I support Senator Sanders and Representative Conyers bill H.R. 676 that is an expanded Medicare for all single payer bill. I believe this is what the country needs and we will get one day. And if that does not happen, I support modifying the ACA in order to help drive prices down and increase access and quality of healthcare.

Who did you vote for in the primaries? What do you have to say people who voted the opposite, and how do you think we can unify the democratic party?

My wife and I loved Bernie Sanders. We backed him through the primary from day 1. We not only voted for him in the primary, but encouraged many others to vote for him as well. As far as people who backed another candidate, I’m ok with that. The point of the primary is we each pick whom we believe is the best candidate, then at the convention come together behind one candidate. I was disappointed that Secretary Clinton won the primary and I begrudgingly got behind her because I wanted to oppose Trump and she had the best shot to win. In fact, she would have won if we did not have the Electoral College. But we do, so we now find ourselves with a President Trump and the races in CD-6 and Senate 32 would not be possible right now without that happening.

As to how to we unify the party, I think it is going to take some time. But the more that President Trump attempts to do that goes against core American values will bring the Democratic party together quicker. Also, there will be a point when the old establishment Democrats and the new Progressive Democrats are going to come to a crossroads. The Progressive Democrats are the future and will help us end the issues with Neo-liberalism. We can take the party back to the party of the people.

On the other hand, what common ground does your campaign have with Trump supporters? What issues matter voters in Georgia, regardless of political affiliation?

I spent a decade in local news. I firmly believe that if hate speech is not protected, no speech is protected. I also am a supporter of the 2nd Amendment. I also think the government has the responsibility to protect our citizens. I grew up on a farm where my dad taught me how to shoot and hunt. When I speak with gun owners, we have the same goal. We want to keep firearms out of the hands of the Mentally Ill, Criminals, and Terrorists. So I propose a background check on every gun sale. In fact, that is backed by 90% of Democrats and 80% of Republicans. And it is one of the reasons that Republicans are crossing the aisle to vote for me.

How are you going to help create more jobs? What actions are you going to take to expand the job market or increase wages?

I want to bring more STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to the district. I feel that these are the high paying jobs of the future. I want to use some tax breaks to bring them to the district. And then from there, we can use some of that money to increase our green spaces, our walkability, and a modern light rail. Additionally, we can use some of the new tax revenue to help build more infrastructure, help fund education, and help some of our local small businesses.

What is the most dire need in Georgia, that you could work to fix/help?

I think it is congestion. As I have stated before, we need a modern light rail to help reduce the toll on the our roads. The Cobb County Board of Commissioners recently voted to consider putting a commuter rail clause into the CSX lease renewal that is up in 2019. All we would have to do is build spurs to stations, a spur to the Braves stadium, and a spur to MARTA to connect it to a MARTA station.

Who has endorsed you?

I have been endorsed by Patricia Echols, who was running to be the first minority representative of Marietta Ward 6 School board, which is a predominately minority district. I also have been endorsed by I-PAC, which is a PAC that wants to fight discrimination against minorities, specifically against the Muslim-American community. This is because I believe no one should be discriminated against, period.

Additionally, people who are volunteering on my campaign have told me they do because they believe that I’m the right voice for all, but especially minorities and the disenfranchised. They believe I have the energy, the guts, and the policy to do the job from day one.

What else do you want to share with our readers?

I believe I am the best candidate for the future of all Georgians. I am not afraid to step up and take a stand, even if I stand alone. I believe that Healthcare is a right, Education is a right, Women’s Rights are Human Rights, and we need young, exciting candidates like myself to energize the next generation of voters. I also stand up for equal rights for all and stand against discrimination. I have a plan to help with education, jobs, and congestion. I hope I earn your support and your vote. You can find out more information at ExtonHoward.com.