Julia Brownley

Julia Brownley
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 26th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2013
Preceded by	David Dreier
Member of the California State Assembly from the 41st district
In office December 4, 2006 – November 30, 2012
Preceded by	Fran Pavley
Succeeded by	Chris Holden
Personal details
Born	(1952-08-28) August 28, 1952 Aiken, South Carolina
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Children	Two
Residence	Oak Park, California
Alma mater	George Washington University (B.A.) American University (M.B.A.)
Religion	Episcopalian

Julia Brownley (born August 28, 1952) is an American politician who has been the United States Representative for California's 26th congressional district since 2013. Previously she served in the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2012. She is a Democrat. Before her political career, Brownley was hired by several companies in market management. Brownley is a mother of two adult children.

Early life and education

Brownley received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from George Washington University in 1975 and an M.B.A. from the American University in 1979.

Santa Monica School Board (1994-2006)

Brownley served three four-year terms on the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education and was elected Board President. She worked with the California State PTA and the Community for Excellent Public Schools to launch the "Caravan for Kids," which brought over 5,000 children and parents to Sacramento to demand that the Governor and Legislature create a state plan for excellence in education. Brownley and the SMMUSD, CEPS, local PTA's and other education advocates led the local efforts that secured $16,000,000 in additional funding annually for Santa Monica and Malibu schools. This enabled her school district to avoid massive cuts in the schools' budgets that would have eliminated programs and caused extensive layoffs of teachers and other employees. She also succeeded in getting Santa Monica to invest $6 million in public education by an increase in the city hotel bed tax. In 2006, she was named YWCA Woman of the Year for her leadership on the School Board and in her community.

California State Assembly (2007-2013)

Brownley during her tenure in the California State Assembly

Elections

In 2006, she decided to run for the California State Assembly in California's 41st Assembly District. Brownley won a competitive 5-candidate Democratic primary with 35% of the vote. Brownley won the general election with 62% of the vote. In 2008, she won re-election to a second term with 66% of the vote. In 2010, she won re-election to a third term with 59% of the vote. Brownley was term-limited in 2012, having served the maximum of three terms in the Assembly permitted under California law.

Tenure

On the day Brownley was sworn into the Assembly, Brownley introduced AB 25, which reexamines how adequacy of K-12 school funding is determined and defined. Her other legislative priorities include wage discrimination, hospital staffing, e-waste recycling, clean water, and ensuring that state-funded sex education is bias free.

Committee assignments

• Aging and Long-Term Care Committee
• Education Committee (Chair)
• Higher Education Committee
• Judiciary Committee
• Legislative Budget Committee
• Natural Resources Joint Legislative Budget Committee
• Select Committee on Community Colleges.

U.S. House of Representatives (2013-Present)

Elections

Main article: United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2012#District 26

Brownley decided to run in the newly redrawn California's 26th congressional district in 2012. The district had previously been the 24th district, represented by 13-term Republican Elton Gallegly. However, it was thought to be significantly more Democratic than its predecessor. In the open primary, State Senator Tony Strickland ranked first with 44% of the vote. Brownley ranked second with 27% of the vote. In the November general election, Brownley defeated Strickland 53%-47%.

Committee assignments

• Committee on Science, Space and Technology
  • Subcommittee on Environment
• Committee on Veterans' Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
  • Subcommittee on Health (Ranking Member)

Electoral history

California's 26th congressional district election, 2012
Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	Percentage
	Republican	Tony Strickland	49,043	44.1%
	Democratic	Julia Brownley	29,892	26.9%
	No party preference	Linda Parks	20,301	18.3%
	Democratic	Jess Herrera	7,244	6.5%
	Democratic	David Cruz Thayne	2,809	2.5%
	Democratic	Alex Maxwell Goldberg	1,880	1.7%
Totals			111,169	100.0%
General election
	Democratic	Julia Brownley	139,072	52.7%
	Republican	Tony Strickland	124,863	47.3%
Totals			263,935	100.0%
	Democratic gain from Republican

External links

• Julia Brownley for Congress official campaign website
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Profile at Ballotpedia
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Financial information (state office) at the National Institute for Money in State Politics
• Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
• Voting record at The Washington Post

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by David Dreier	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 26th congressional district January 3, 2013 – present	Incumbent
United States order of precedence
Preceded by Susan Brooks R-Indiana	United States Representatives by seniority 367th	Succeeded by Cheri Bustos D-Illinois