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Stephanie Borowicz

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Stephanie Borowicz
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
from the 76th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2019
Preceded byMike Hanna
Personal details
Born (1977-03-23) March 23, 1977 (age 47)
Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseJason
Children3
EducationVanguard University (BA)
Websiterepstephanie.com

Stephanie Paige Borowicz[1] (born 1977) is an American politician currently serving as a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 76th district since 2019.

Early life and education

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Borowicz was born on March 23, 1977, in Orlando, Florida. She graduated from Altamonte Christian School in 1995.[1] Borowicz earned a bachelor of arts degree in liberal studies with a minor in Bible studies from Vanguard University,[2] a private Christian university in Orange County, California.[3] She worked as an elementary school teacher and as president of a non-profit organization.[4] She moved to Clinton County, Pennsylvania, in 2009.[5]

Political career

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Borowicz first ran for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2016, challenging longtime incumbent Mike Hanna. She would lose that election. In 2018, Hanna decided against seeking re-election. Hanna's son Mike Hanna Jr. ran in his stead, but would lose to Borowicz by around 1,500 votes.[3] Borowicz was re-elected in 2020 and 2022.[1]

Borowicz garnered national attention when she gave an invocation at the start of a state house session in which she invoked Jesus 13 times, praised President Donald Trump, praised Israel, and said, "at the name of Jesus, every knee will bend." The prayer was given on the same day that Movita Johnson-Harrell was sworn in as the first Muslim woman to serve in the chamber.[6] Johnson-Harrel criticized the invocation as "weaponized prayer" and as an example of Islamophobia.[7] Borowicz brushed off the criticism in an interview with Todd Starnes on Fox News Radio, saying she prayed in the same manner she always prayed. She claimed that people were offended because "there's power in the name of Jesus."[8]

In May 2019, a man in a shirt with the name and logo of the American Guard took a selfie with Borowicz at a pro-gun rally in Harrisburg. Borowicz's photo-op elicited criticism from the Anti-Defamation League who requested Borowicz apologize for the picture due to the American Guard's ties to white supremacy. She would issue a statement, but did not make mention of the American Guard or its ideology, "We do not, nor should we, require ID or background checks as a condition for being photographed with the people of Pennsylvania — our constituents! The many photos taken of me at this year’s Rally to Protect Your Right to Keep and Bear Arms are no different.”[9]

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Borowicz introduced a resolution that suggested the virus was a "punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins" and sought to proclaim March 30, 2020, a day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer.[10]

Following the 2020 United States presidential election, Borowicz joined 25 other Pennsylvania Republican lawmakers in sponsoring a resolution to demand the decertification of Pennsylvania's electoral votes. The group cited false claims of a rigged election in their resolution.[11][12]

In 2022, Borowicz introduced a bill modeled after Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law. Her bill would ban discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in schools through the fifth grade, but Borowicz said the measure should be extended through twelfth grade. The introduction of her bill came after the Pennsylvania Department of Education launched a webpage containing advice for teachers to create "gender-inclusive classrooms."[13] The bill was referred to the State House's Education Committee, but was never taken up.[14] She reintroduced the bill in 2023.[15]

In 2024, Borowicz reportedly jeered former Capitol Police Officers Harry Dunn and Aquilino Gonnell when they visited the State House. The officers defended the Capitol during the January 6 attack on the Capitol, and Borowicz shouted that the attack did not happen and yelled "traitor" at the former officers, according to fellow lawmakers.[16][17]

Personal life

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Borowicz's husband, Jason,[18] is a pastor and together they have three sons.[5]

Electoral history

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2016 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election, District 76[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Hanna Sr. (incumbent) 13,213 52.16
Republican Stephanie Borowicz 12,121 47.84
Total votes 25,334 100.00
2018 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election, District 76[21][22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Stephanie Borowicz 11,224 53.64
Democratic Mike Hanna Jr. 9,669 46.21
Write-in 30 0.14
Total votes 20,923 100.00
2020 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election, District 76[23][24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Stephanie Borowicz (incumbent) 19,157 65.47
Democratic Joe Waltz 10,080 34.45
Write-in 24 0.08
Total votes 29,261 100.00
2022 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election, District 76[25][26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Stephanie Borowicz (incumbent) 15,776 67.41
Democratic Denise Maris 7,627 32.59
Total votes 23,403 100.00

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Stephanie Borowicz". Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Representative Stephanie Borowicz". Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b Mahon, Ed (March 28, 2019). "Who is Stephanie Borowicz, the Pa. state lawmaker accused of delivering a 'weaponized prayer'?". WIFT. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Ready to Lead: Borowicz Takes Oath as First-Ever Woman State Representative in 76th Legislative District". pahousegop.com. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  5. ^ a b Olson, Tyler (9 October 2018). "76th District Voters Choosing New Representative For First Time In Nearly 30 Years". www.radio.wpsu.org. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  6. ^ "First female Muslim member of Pennsylvania House offended by GOP member's prayer before swearing-in". CBS News. March 27, 2019.
  7. ^ Keneally, Meghan. "Islamophobia: Critics decry Christian prayer at swearing-in of Muslim lawmaker". www.abnews.go.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  8. ^ Starnes, Todd (31 March 2019). "Lawmaker Refuses to Apologize For Praying in Name of Jesus". www.toddstarnes.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  9. ^ Navratil, Liz; Couloumbis, Angela (May 8, 2019). "Pa. Lawmaker Poses for Photo with Man in Group with White Supremacist Ties". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved March 9, 2024..
  10. ^ DeJesus, Ivey (March 6, 2023). "Coronavirus is punishment from God, Pa. lawmaker suggests; calls for statewide day of atonement". PennLIVE Patriot-News. Advance Local Media LLC. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  11. ^ "RESOLUTION Disputing the 2020 General Election Statewide Contest Results". Pennsylvania General Assembly. November 27, 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  12. ^ Murphy, Jan (November 28, 2020). "26 Pa. House Republicans call for withdrawing certification of presidential electors". PennLIVE Patriot-News. Advance Local Media LLC. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  13. ^ Migdon, Brooke (September 26, 2022). "Pennsylvania lawmaker introduces bill modeled after Florida 'Don't Say Gay' law: 'Mine goes further'". The Hill. Nexstar Media Inc. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Bill Information (History) - House Bill 2813; Regular Session 2021-2022". Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  15. ^ "Bill Information - House Bill 319; Regular Session 2023-2024". Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  16. ^ Maitin, Trebor (June 7, 2024). "Pa. House Republicans walk out of ceremony for officers who defended U.S. Capitol during riot". PennLIVE Patriot-News. Advance Local Media LLC. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  17. ^ McGoldrick, Gillian (June 6, 2024). "Some Republicans booed or walked out as Pa. House recognized Jan. 6 Capitol police officers". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  18. ^ "About Stephanie". PA State Rep. Stephanie Borowicz. PA House Republican Caucus. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  19. ^ "2016 Presidential Election - Clinton". electionreturns.pa.gov. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  20. ^ "Summary Report Centre County, Pennsylvania Official Results General Election November 8, 2016". Centre County, Pennsylvania. December 1, 2016. p. 2. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  21. ^ "Summary Report General Election Official November 6, 2018". Clinton County, Pennsylvania. November 8, 2018. p. 2. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  22. ^ "Summary Report Centre County, Pennsylvania Official General El November 6, 2018ection". Centre County, Pennsylvania. November 29, 2018. p. 2. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  23. ^ "Summary Results Report 2020 OFFICIAL GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 3, 2020 OFFICIAL RESULTS Clinton County". Clinton County, Pennsylvania. November 23, 2020. p. 4. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  24. ^ "Summary Results Report General Election November 3, 2020 OFFICIAL RESULTS Centre County". Centre County, Pennsylvania. November 24, 2020. p. 5. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  25. ^ "2022 General Election - Union". electionreturns.pa.gov. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  26. ^ "Summary Results Report 2022 OFFICIAL GENERAL ELECTION November 8, 2022 OFFICIAL RESULTS Clinton County". Clinton County, Pennsylvania. November 29, 2022. p. 3. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
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