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Marla Brown

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Marla Brown
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
from the 9th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded byChris Sainato
Personal details
Born1970 (age 53–54)
Edinburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseGreg Brown
Children3
Residence(s)New Castle, Pennsylvania, U.S.
EducationGannon University (BA)
Geneva College (MS)
Alma materMohawk High School
Websitewww.repmarlabrown.com

Marla A. Gallo Brown[1] (born 1970) is an American politician who currently represents the 9th District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since 2023. She is a member of the Republican Party.

Early life and education

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Brown was born in 1970, the eldest of six siblings,[2] in Edinburg, Pennsylvania.[3] She is of Italian ancestry.[2] Brown graduated from Mohawk High School in 1988.[2][4] She earned Bachelor of Arts degree from Gannon University in 1992 and a Master of Science from Geneva College in 2000.[4]

Career

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Brown worked for UPS for 15 years,[3] including working in London as the company's director of sales and marketing for the United Kingdom and Ireland.[3][5] She later ran a medical spa in Georgia for nine years.[3]

In 2022, Brown won a three-way Republican primary election to challenge incumbent Democratic Pennsylvania State Representative from the 9th District Chris Sainato.[6] She defeated Sainato in the general election.[7]

Political positions

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Abortion

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Brown opposes the right to an abortion. From 2015 to 2018, she was CEO of Pregnancy Aid Clinic,[6] an Atlanta-based Catholic anti-abortion organization.[6][8]

Criminal justice

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Following a spate of local false school shooting reports in 2023,[9] Brown introduced a bill to elevate making a false emergency call to elicit a police response, otherwise known as swatting, from a misdemeanor offense to a felony.[10][11]

Brown supports decreasing the state parole board vote for clemency from unanimous approval to a simple majority.[12]

Election reform

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In April 2023, Brown introduced a bill that would create open primary elections in Pennsylvania.[13][14] She has argued against closed primary elections, saying that they are unfair to independent votes who cannot participate in elections funded by their tax dollars. In an op-ed with State Representative Jared Solomon, Brown also argued primary election should be open because of the large number of veterans, young people, and minorities who are registered as independents.[15]

Brown has called monetary campaign fundraising a "necessary evil of the [election] process," which is nonetheless beneficial because it demonstrates whether a candidate is capable of successfully spreading their message.[16]

Legislative perks

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During her 2022 campaign, Brown signed a pledge to refuse state per diems, state pension, or taxpayer-funded car. Brown also pledge to only serve eight years in the state legislature.[17]

Minimum wage

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Brown voted against a bill to incrementally raise Pennsylvania's minimum to fifteen dollars an hour by 2026.[18]

Personal life

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Brown lives in New Castle, Pennsylvania with her husband Greg Brown. She has three children.[4][19]

Electoral history

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2022 Pennsylvania House of Representatives Republican primary election, District 9[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Marla Brown 3,192 42.62
Republican Nick Kerin 2,896 38.66
Republican Darryl Audia 1,352 18.05
Write-in Chris Sainato 40 0.53
Write-in Scattered 10 0.13
Total votes 7,490 100.00
2022 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election, District 9[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Marla Brown 13,721 52.81
Democratic Chris Sainato (incumbent) 12,219 47.03
Write-in 44 0.17
Total votes 25,984 100.00
2024 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election, District 9[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Marla Brown 27,029 94.66
Write-in 1,524 5.34
Total votes 28,553 100.00

References

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  1. ^ "2022 General Election Tuesday, November 8, 2022 Official Returns LAWRENCE". electionreturns.pa.gov. Pennsylvania Department of State. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "About Marla Brown". Marla Brown for PA. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Vercilla, Nicholas (October 31, 2022). "Sainato, Brown set the record straight on mailer accusations". New Castle News. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "Representative Marla Brown". Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Local woman to seek state representative seat". New Castle News. February 19, 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Previti, Emily (October 3, 2022). "Pennsylvania State House 9th District: A guide to the 2022 general election and candidates". 90.5 WESA. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  7. ^ Murphy, Jan (November 9, 2022). "Pa. Democrats claim they took control of the state House; GOP says not so fast". PennLIVE Patriot-News. Advance Local Media LLC. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  8. ^ "About Us". Pregnancy Aid Clinic. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  9. ^ Coller, Patty (August 22, 2023). "New Castle High School threat prompts felony bill". WKBN-TV. Nexstar Media Inc. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  10. ^ "Pennsylvania lawmaker wants tougher penalties for swatting calls targeting schools". WGAL-TV. Hearst Television Inc. August 23, 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  11. ^ Valente, Mike (August 23, 2023). "With students heading back to classroom, Pennsylvania lawmaker talks anti-swatting b". WTAE-TV. Hearst Television Inc. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  12. ^ Brown, Marla (August 25, 2023). "Column by Rep. Marla Brown: Legislator's responsibilities are to understand its constituents. That must include our prison population". New Castle News. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  13. ^ "HOUSE BILL No.976 Session of 2023". Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  14. ^ Stockburger, George (March 6, 2023). "Pennsylvania lawmaker introduces open primaries bill". abc27 WHTM. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  15. ^ Solomon, Jared; Brown, Marla (July 11, 2023). "Opinion: A million reasons to open up primaries in Pennsylvania". City & State Pennsylvania. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  16. ^ Huangpu, Kate (January 1, 2023). "The Pennsylvania legislature is getting a major infusion of new blood this January". 90.5 WESA. Spotlight PA. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  17. ^ Vercilla, Nicholas (October 15, 2022). "District 9 preview: Brown wants to be an advocate for District 9". New Castle News. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  18. ^ Scicchitano, Eric (June 27, 2023). "Eye on the Capitol: How Bernstine, Brown, Brooks, Vogel voted last week". New Castle News. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  19. ^ "About Marla". PA State Rep. Marla Brown. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  20. ^ "Summary Results Report 2022 PRIMARY May 17, 2022 OFFICIAL RESULTS Lawrence" (PDF). Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. June 7, 2022. p. 36. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  21. ^ "Summary Results Report 2022 General November 8,2022 OFFICIAL RESULTS Lawrence" (PDF). Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. December 1, 2022. p. 4. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  22. ^ "Summary Results Report 2024 General November 5, 2024 Lawrence" (PDF). Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. November 21, 2024. p. 4. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
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