A Livingston County man who teaches at Wayne State University and owns a small business has announced his candidacy for the 22nd state Senate seat being vacated by Republican state Sen. Lana Theis, who is term-limited.
A Green Oak Township resident for over two decades, Rob Hower, a Democrat, said he will fight for better schools and health care access.
“I decided to run for this seat because I have seen how it is becoming more difficult for anyone but the rich to get a good education. We should have good public schools, access to trade internship programs, community college should be available to all who want to go beyond, and there should be a path to a four-year degree,” he said.
“There should be a path to realizing everyone’s potential.”
Hower teaches electrical engineering at Wayne State University; is a research engineer at the University of Michigan; and owns a small business, Numed Technologies, LLC.
Hower comes from a family of educators. His father was one of the original administrators at Washtenaw Community College and served as its director of financial aid for nearly 40 years. His mother was program manager at the Department of Education for the State of Michigan, where, among other projects, she developed the K-12 curriculum focusing on health and wellness of Michigan’s youth.
With the Trump administration slashing health care coverage for thousands of people in the district, Hower said he would make access to health care a focus.
“Health care coverage, including mental health care, should be a right, not a privilege for the rich. You never know what will happen to you. Accidents and illnesses happen, and sometimes even the most cautious can end up in the hospital. No one should lose everything because of going into debt for medical care,” Hower said.
Hower said his political philosophy is based on the belief that government must sometimes be a way for people to help each other.
“I believe that everyone should be encouraged to excel to their potential, but sometimes people need a hand to get on the right path,” he said. “My favorite story from the Bible is the story of the Good Samaritan. Everyone passed the robbed and beaten man, but a stranger – of a different race and religion — stopped and helped the man get back to health. In my life, I do my best to do this.”
A strong support of organized labor, Hower is a member of Union of Part-Time Faculty (affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers) at Wayne State University where he teaches electrical engineering.
Hower earned a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degree from the University of Michigan, where he worked his way through school doing odd jobs.
His company, Numed Technology, LLC, specializes in developing micro-electromechanical systems for physical and chemical sensing in biomedical environments. The company helps bring inventor’s new ideas and their products to market and improve their manufacturing systems. Some products he has developed include a non-invasive glucose monitor (currently in use by diabetics), sensors to monitor head trauma, and much lower cost night vision cameras.
He also is a research engineer at the University of Michigan.
Hower also trains and shows dogs around the country. He volunteers as a therapy dog owner and handler, visiting hospitals, nursing homes, Girl Scout troops, and schools to help reduce the stress on those in need.
Hower is the only Democrat to file for the seat. The district includes all of Livingston County, as well as townships in four other counties: Leroy, White Oak, and Stockbridge in Ingham County; Antrim and Burns in Shiawassee County; Argentine and Fenton in Genesee County, and Holly in Oakland County.
For more information, visit Hower’s Facebook page or email him at robpoliticaloffice@gmail.com.
