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POLITICS: Houchen aims to replace Boren with "constitutional conservative"

By Bryan Smith

Senior Reporter

(POL) "I was talking about constitutional conservatism back before it was mainstream," said Republican Second Congressional District candidate Howard Wayne Houchen Wednesday after making his campaign official.

Howard, a small business owner and political writer who considers himself a Reagan Republican, said that he has been preaching about out of control government spending, federal encroachment and the importance of constitutional conservatism for many years. But, now, people are truly beginning to take notice.

"Every American citizen - or at least the vast majority - have an arbitrary line or limit to what they will accept from the federal government," he said. For me, that line was crossed a long time ago."

Houchen said that he felt compelled to run because citizens across the country are concerned about the direction of the country. "This was not a choice for me," he said.

"I took stock and decided I have to make a change," he added.

Houchen also said that incumbent U.S. Representative Dan Boren is a career politician who does not understand what average Oklahomans go through.

"There is a disconnect between Washington, D.C. and we go through trying to make a living," he said.

Houchen has a degree in political science from the University of Oklahoma, as well as a master's in national security studies from American Military University. Currently, he owns and operates All American Garage Doors. He is also a member of the Hugo City Council.

There are five other candidates for the Republican nomination, according to the Oklahoma Election Board. They are Daniel Edmonds, Charles Thompson, Chester Clem Falling, Daniel Arnett and Raymond Wickson.

Boren and state Sen. Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah, have filed for the Democratic nomination.

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Howard W. Houchen is a proud Oklahoman, a Reagan Conservative, and a constitutionalist. In recent years Howard has discovered a deep disdain for current government and its direction. The lack of integrity and complete disregard for the "rule book", The US Constitution, has motivated and inspired him to take on the immoralist of government and put America back on the level.

Raised in SE Oklahoma, there is a love for the land he calls home. He graduated from Hugo High School in 1984 where he truly enjoyed "Buffalo Football". Today he supports his son Collin who too, is a proud member of the "Buff" squad. Howard stays emphatically involved with his children and their activities. In fact Howard can be seen on the sidelines in Hugo on game night, as the unofficial photographer of the Hugo Buffaloes. After high school graduation he attended the University of Oklahoma where he received a bachelor's degree in Political Science.

Work ethic was evident in the student; he worked a full time job paying his way through school. The most valued experience from OU was marrying his beloved wife of 24 years Jeannie. He balanced a career, school and a family while in college, and knows the value of education for Oklahoma's citizens.

Upon graduation, the new "Sooner" took an opportunity with Parker Drilling Company. He found himself working, travelling and/or living in countries like Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Gabon, Sao Tome & Principe, The Congo, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, France, Singapore, Germany, and Italy. After traveling the world he realized how fortunate he was to be an American Citizen and he and Jeannie returned home to their beloved Oklahoma to raise their family in 1993.

After returning to the US to start their family, Howard eventually took on the task of managing a fledgling family business, called All American Garage Doors. In short order the company grew to a successful corporation that Howard is terribly proud to be a part of today. Howard's involvement in small business leaves him perfectly in tuned to what the Small Business Person faces daily. Candidate Houchen also served as a City Councilman in Hugo while fulfilling an unexpired term for another councilman and even performed in several Hugo Little Theater stage-play productions. While running this small family owned business, Howard tackled another feat, earning a Master's Degree in National Security Studies, with Honors from the American Military University in 2004. Howard is a contributing author to publications like AMERICAN DAILY REVIEW, WORLD NET DAILY and CANADA FREE PRESS. With both sons, Collin, and Jared in tow, Jeannie and Howard are avid hunters and fishers, treasuring the outdoor life and family activities plentiful in our beautiful state and abundant in our rural communities.