At 27 years old, Howard talks about family members’ battles with addiction and poverty as motivation to launch this campaign. She grew up in Ellington, but has lived in Warren for the past seven years.

Howard understands uphill battle for state House seat

Biographical Information
COUNTY
Warren
OCCUPATION
Influencer
EDUCATION
3 1/2 years of college for a bachelor's degree in political science I am almost done.

VOTE411 Candidate Detail

QUALIFICATIONS
I have hosted numerous charity events and am always helping to organize in my community. I have had my life impacted by politics in almost every way imaginable. I know the struggles of everyday Americans far better than career politicians. I will always put people first.

Destiny Howard grew up in Ellington. She completed three and a half years of college toward a bachelor's degree in political science. She has hosted charity events and helped organize in her community.

Pennsylvania State Representative District 65 - VOTE411.org

2026 Pennsylvania General Election 

She spoke of a price match system for necessary goods like gas, she stated, "So having a system where the prices across Pennsylvania within a certain percentage are matching. I also want to encourage more competition in the area. Try to get more people here selling gas so that they are not the only ones making the price, and actually have to, you know, compete to have a lower price with other people."

Candidate for state rep offers views, plans meeting

Howard recognizes first hand how tough housing is in the area, let alone the cost of childcare being equivalent to a paycheck. When speaking about minimum wage, she believes even with the increase upon us for January, it's not enough. "I believe that the wages should simply rise with productivity. It should be able to cover transportation, housing, food, etc. Your bare necessities should be able to be met with one paycheck. I believe that the way in which we could raise the minimum wage is by having a five-year plan where we have the large corporations take on the main burden of raising it to whatever the determined wage would likely be."

She believes the gas tax can be easily reduced and the income could be replaced by placing a tax on shale extraction. Saying that it would have no effect on anyone locally but rather, by people that are coming from out of state, using land yet not paying taxes here. "If they had to pay taxes here, we would be able to replace a lot of that income rather than having consumers pay for it."

Proposes aligning gasoline prices statewide within a set percentage and encouraging more local gas-seller competition.

Proposes a five-year plan to increase the minimum wage that places most of the cost on large corporations.

Supports taxing shale extraction to replace revenue lost by reducing the gas tax paid by consumers.

- Proposes aligning gasoline prices statewide within a set percentage and encouraging more local gas-seller competition.
- Proposes a five-year plan to increase the minimum wage that places most of the cost on large corporations.
- Supports taxing shale extraction to replace revenue lost by reducing the gas tax paid by consumers.

Economy

The way I plan to address these issues is by finally putting people above profit. We will protect rural healthcare by ensuring our hospitals have adequate staffing moving forward as well as expand access to Medicaid and Medicare. We will fight to lower education costs and encourage more people to obtain healthcare degrees that are vital to the stability of our hospitals.

- Wants to expand medicaid and Medicare. 

Healthcare

The way I plan to address these issues is by finally putting people above profit. We will protect rural healthcare by ensuring our hospitals have adequate staffing moving forward as well as expand access to Medicaid and Medicare. We will fight to lower education costs and encourage more people to obtain healthcare degrees that are vital to the stability of our hospitals. We will offer an incentive program to cover all costs of school for needed professions to fill needed spots quickly.

Proposes covering school costs by offering incentives to people entering needed professions.

- Proposes covering school costs by offering incentives to people entering needed professions.

Education

As of October 16, 2026, Destiny Howard did not have a website or any information online.

Energy & the Environment

Public Safety

Voting & Elections

Facebook

Destiny Howard

Should the state legislature enact laws concerning the impacts on water, energy, or land use from the development and operation of data centers? Would state regulation of data center development and operation interfere with the authority of municipalities to establish ordinances under the MPC (Municipal Planning Code)?
Absolutely. Data centers are destroying the enviroment and people's homes. It would likely interfere in some way with the MPC but human life and nature must be considered when we are talking about choices that have disastrous consequences.

I believe we must fight against the SAFE Act and make sure women's right to vote remains intact. I believe we have a fair voting system and if people would like to require ID to vote that they must be made free to all registered voters so people are not taxed to vote.

What are your thoughts on the state budget process? What changes, if any, would you support so that the budget is enacted in a timely manner?
Elected officials simply need to be more transparent. These conversations affect everyone and should not be had behind closed doors. They all need to be willing to work together for the betterment of Pennsylvanians and have the budget done in a timely manner.

Edward Krutsch

Buket Urgen

Legalizing marijuana is another way Howard believes would replace some of the income. She said, "We are losing a lot of money to our neighbors because people are leaving and purchasing marijuana and traveling back across state lines, and we would be able to keep that money here. We would be able to have new businesses, more jobs, and we could also put a tax on the sale of marijuana and generate even more money."

One of the reasons she chose to be in the Democratic party is that she believes it is wise to invest in renewable energy, saying that it could create more jobs in the area and begin moving things forward. She feels it's important to do what can be done now as opposed to playing catch up later on. "We can't be as reliant on it (gasoline)."

Reflecting on a family member’s recovery, Howard highlights the power of providing necessary resources. She asserts that when individuals receive adequate mental health services and addiction support, they can rebuild their lives and stay out of the justice system, noting, “Most of these people can be rehabilitated if they actually had the help that they need.”

What changes, if any, would you support to enable better access, ensure security, and support the processes of our elections?
I believe we must fight against the SAFE Act and make sure women's right to vote remains intact.

Being that it has been 34 years of Republican control for District 65, Howard was asked what her strategy is to shift the dynamic. "I am big on term limits. I would like to have the state house pass a legislature where people can only serve for eight years, the same amount of time as the presidency. I believe that’s enough time to make your mark in your community. Keeping those seats open, keeping new minds flowing is very important," she said.

Kathy L Rapp

- Your state representative represents the interests of your local district in the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives. The State House of Representatives, along with the State Senate, makes up your state lawmaking body: the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
- Your state representative can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws, including introducing tax bills. 
- State representatives and their staff respond to constituent concerns and questions through emails, phone calls, and website announcements. 
- State representatives oversee the executive branch and can vote to overrule a veto by the Governor.  
- They are elected to two-year terms and have a salary of $106,000, with a 1-3% annual increase

Your representative and state lawmaker in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives