The Rev. Karlton Howard, brother of Rep. Henry “Wayne” Howard, announced Monday he’s running for his late brother’s seat.
Howard, a pastor, upholstery shop owner and longtime host and producer of the “Parade of Quartets” gospel TV show, said he’d put his grief on hold while making the decision to run.
Supporters “reminded me that I once said I would not make a good politician,” he said at a news conference.
“A deeper thought on that premise is maybe we need more folks with spiritual morals, with values that we can stand for, that we can effect change not only in our district but in our country,” he said.
MORE: Qualifying starts Tuesday in special primary election to replace Rep. Wayne Howard
Wayne Howard was 67 when he died in office Oct. 13. He’s being replaced through a special primary Dec. 20 open to candidates who run as Democrats. Any registered voter in the district can participate in the special primary.
Karlton Howard, 71, was flanked by supporters and family members including Wayne Howard’s widow, Cassandria, as well as state Rep. Gloria Frazier, D-Hephzibah.
If elected, Howard will be the fourth Howard to hold the seat. His father, Henry L. Howard, was elected to the former House District 85 in 1990. Upon his death in 2005, his widow, Earnestine Howard, won the office in a special election. The following year, Wayne Howard won the seat from his stepmother.
Karlton Howard said his family’s history with the seat made him reluctant to run.
“I hesitated from even making this move, because this seat has been held by members of my family for over 20 years,” he said. But, “the reality of this seat is no, it’s not a Howard seat, but it is a seat for someone who has a servant spirit.”
Howard is the first to announce a campaign for District 129, which encompasses much of west and south Augusta, including areas of commission and school board districts 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7.
Candidate qualifying takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday. It’s being conducted by the Democratic Party of Georgia at the state party headquarters.
