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Frank A. Howard Politician

Frank A. Howard, also known as Frankie Howard (born December 1, 1938), is a former sheriff of Vernon Parish in western Louisiana, who has been since 2008 a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 24, which includes De Soto, Red River, Sabine, and Vernon parishes.Howard studied in the continuing education program at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He is also a graduate of the National Sheriff's Institute. Howard is a member of the House committees on (1) Administration of Criminal Justice, (2) Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development and (3) Transportation, Highways, and Public Works. He is also a member of the Louisiana Rural Caucus.Howard succeeded the former Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives Joe Salter, who was term-limited in the 2007 election. In the November 17, 2007 general election, Howard defeated the Democrat Mary Ann Wiggins, 4,333 (52.6 percent) to 3,898 (47.4 percent). In the primary on October 20, Howard led three Democrats with 31 percent of the vote. Wiggins trailed with 28 percent and as the second-highest votegetter entered the second round of balloting with Howard.Howard, then a Democrat, was unopposed for sheriff of Vernon Parish in 1983. In 1987, he won again as sheriff with 79 percent of the vote over another Vernon Parish Democrat, Scott McCloud. He won his last term as sheriff of Vernon Parish in 1995, with 77 percent of the vote against another Democrat, Teresa Rushing-Miller. In 2003, he sought a comeback in the race for sheriff but lost to the Democratic incumbent Sam Craft, who polled 67 percent of the vote that year.Howard and his wife, the former Betty Cavanaugh, reside in Hornbeck in Sabine Parish. Howard was unopposed for reelection in the nonpartisan blanket primary set for October 22, 2011.