Matt Erard
Matt Erard is an American politician and a former canidate for the Michigan House of Representatives' 53rd District. He is the current chairperson of the Socialist Party of Michigan.
Life and career
Early life
Erard was born on 11 January 1985 in Royal Oak, Michigan. He has been ACTIVE in political activities since childhood, going door-to-door in support of a canidate in the 1992 United States presidential election at the age of seven. In 1997, at the age of twelve, Erard decided that he was a socialist after doing research on various third parties on the internet. At the age 15, Erard became the youngest ever intern at the Detroit office of the American Civil Liberties Union and joined the Socialist Party.
Political activities
Erard has been active in the Michigan Third Parties Coalition, which consists of the local chapters of the Socialist Party, Green Party, Libertarian Party, Reform Party, and the Taxpayers Party of Michigan. Erard was a founding member of the Washtenaw Reds, a Washtenaw Political group consisting of members from several Socialist groups.
In 2006, Erard ran as a Socialist candidate for the Michigan House of Representative's 53rd District. His campaign received 847 votes, meaning 2.51% of the vote. Two years later, he ran as as a Green Party candidate for the Michigan House of Representatives's 53rd district. The Socialist Party USA which does not have ballot access in the State of Michigan endorsed his campaign. Erard received 2,199 (4.6%) of the votes, finishing 3rd in a 3 candidate field. During the 2008 campaign, Erard stated in a forum for students that he would work to abolish tuition and forgive student loans. He said, "I believe education is a right, not a privilege".
On economic issues he stated, "Unlike my Democratic opponent's campaign which is behold to the corporate financial interests that have bankroll it, my campaign is beholden to no one but the working people of the 53rd district. I seek to present the challenge we need to restore Michigan's vitality - one based on breaking the stranglehold of private capital over our state's economy and government and empowering every Michigan resident who works for a living to take control of our own political system, economy, and workplaces".