Julia Brownley

Julia Andrews Brownley (born August 28, 1952) is an American businesswoman and politician who has been the United States representative for California's 26th congressional district since 2013. A Democrat, she served in the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2012.^[1] Before her political career, she worked in marketing and sales.^[2]

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 (age 71) Aiken, South Carolina, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Children	2
Residence(s)	Thousand Oaks, California, U.S.
Education	George Washington University (BA) American University (MBA)
Website	House website

Early life, education, and career

Brownley grew up in Virginia, and attended Fairfax Hall, a girls' boarding school in Waynesboro, for four years. Brownley received a bachelor's degree in political science from Mount Vernon College for Women of George Washington University in 1975 and a master's degree in business administration from American University in 1979.^[2][3]

Brownley served on the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education from 1994 to 2006. During her time on the school board, she served three terms as president.^[4]

California State Assembly (2007–2013)

 

Brownley during her tenure in the California State Assembly

Elections

In 2006, Brownley ran for the California State Assembly in California's 41st Assembly district.^[3] She won a five-way Democratic primary with 35% of the vote^[5] and the general election with 62% of the vote.^[5][6] In 2008, she was reelected with 66% of the vote.^[7] In 2010, she was reelected to a third term with 59% of the vote.^[8] Brownley was term-limited in 2012, having served the maximum of three terms in the Assembly permitted under California law.^[9]

She was endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters.^[10]

Tenure

In 2010, Brownley authored a bill that would have banned all plastic shopping bags. It did not pass.^[11][12]

Committee assignments

Brownley served on the following California State Assembly committees:^[13]

• 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

 

Brownley's freshman portrait

2012

See also: 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in California § District 26

In February 2012, Brownley announced her candidacy for California's 26th congressional district.^[14] The district had previously been the 24th district, represented by 13-term Republican Elton Gallegly. In the general election, Brownley defeated Republican state Senator Tony Strickland, 53%-47%.^[15] She was endorsed by Emily's List^[16] and Planned Parenthood.^[17]

2014

See also: 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in California § District 26

Brownley was narrowly reelected over Republican state Assemblyman Jeff Gorell in the general election.^[18] She is a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Frontline Program, which is designed to help protect vulnerable Democratic incumbents. After Republican candidates garnered over 50% of the vote in the June blanket primary, the Cook Political Report changed the rating of the race from "Leans Democratic" to "Toss-up."^[19][20] The race did become close, making for closer scrutiny of the results. Initial results showed Brownley winning 51% to 49%, with about 4,000 votes separating the candidates.^[21]

Political positions

Brownley supports the DREAM Act, the Affordable Care Act, and same-sex marriage. She has advocated increased insurance company regulation, job training funds, toxic cleanup, and increased public education funding.^[22] Since her election to Congress, Brownley has voted with the Democratic Party 93% of the time.^{[23][failed verification]} On November 19, 2015, she voted for HR 4038, legislation that would effectively halt the resettlement of refugees from Syria and Iraq to the United States.^[24]

As of November 2022, Brownley had voted in line with Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time.^[25]

Committee assignments

For the 118th Congress:^[26]

• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Aviation
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
  • Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
• Committee on Veterans' Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Health (Ranking Member)

Caucus memberships

• New Democrat Coalition^[27]
• House Baltic Caucus^[28]
• Congressional Arts Caucus^[29]
• Blue Collar Caucus

Political positions

Abortion

Brownley strongly opposed the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling the decision "unprecedented, deeply disappointing, and ideologically driven."^[30]

Electoral history

2022

United States House of Representatives elections, 2022^[31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Julia Brownley (incumbent)	134,575	54.5%
	Republican	Matt Jacobs	112,214	45.5%
Total votes			246,789	100%
	Democratic hold

2020

United States House of Representatives elections, 2020^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Julia Brownley (incumbent)	208,856	60.6%
	Republican	Ronda Baldwin-Kennedy	135,877	39.4%
Total votes			344,733	100%
	Democratic hold

2018

United States House of Representatives elections, 2018^[33]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Julia Brownley (incumbent)	110,804	60%
	Republican	Antonio Sabato Jr.	73,416	40%
Total votes			184,220	100%
	Democratic hold

2016

United States House of Representatives elections, 2016

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Julia Brownley (incumbent)	169,248	60%
	Republican	Rafael A. Dagnesses	111,059	40%
Total votes			280,307	100%
	Democratic hold

2014

California's 26th congressional district election, 2014

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
General election
	Democratic	Julia Brownley	87,176	51.3
	Republican	Jeff Gorell	82,653	48.7
Total votes			169,829	100.0
	Democratic hold

2012

California's 26th congressional district election, 2012

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	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
Total votes			111,169	100.0
General election
	Democratic	Julia Brownley	139,072	52.7
	Republican	Tony Strickland	124,863	47.3
Total votes			263,935	100.0
	Democratic gain from Republican

Personal life

Brownley is divorced and has two children.^[2]

See also

• Women in the United States House of Representatives

References

1. Julia Brownley Councilmember 41st Assembly District, juliabrownley.com; accessed November 15, 2014.
2. "California, 26th House District". National Journal. November 1, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
3. "Julia Brownley (D)". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
4. "Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.)". Roll Call. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
5. "California House of Representatives elections, 2006". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
6. . Los Angeles Times. November 6, 2008. Archived from the original on September 13, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
7. . California Secretary of State. Archived from the original on November 30, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
8. . California Secretary of State. Archived from the original on August 10, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
9. Fauquher, Tom (June 13, 2011). "Torie Osborn Picks Up Key Endorsement in Bid for Malibu's State Assembly Seat". Malibu Patch. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
10. "Candidates make final push in Assembly race". Malibu Times. May 31, 2006. Retrieved September 13, 2014.^{[dead link]}
11. Francis, Enjoli (September 1, 2010). "California Strikes Down Proposal to Ban Plastic Bags". ABC News. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
12. Yamamura, Kevin (January 22, 2013). "Assembly Democrat wants grocery store ban on plastic bags". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
13. "Julia Brownley". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
14. Herdt, Timm (February 19, 2012). "Assemblywoman joins 26th Congressional District race". Ventura County Star. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
15. "California 26th District - Strickland vs. Brownley". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
16. Merl, Jean (April 20, 2012). "Emily's List backs Julia Brownley for Congress". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
17. "Brownley the better choice". Camarillo Acorn. October 12, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
18. Modesti, Kevin (June 18, 2014). "Brownley vs. Gorell congressional race will get attention now". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
19. Livingston, Abby (March 5, 2013). . Roll Call. Archived from the original on September 16, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
20. "2014 HOUSE RACE RATINGS FOR SEPTEMBER 12, 2014". Cook Political Report. September 12, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
21. . Archived from the original on November 18, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
22. Bartholomew, Dana (October 23, 2012). "Julia Brownley vs. Tony Strickland pits liberal and conservative in close race for newly drawn 26th District". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
23. "Julia Brownley (D)". The U.S. Congress Votes Database. Washington Post. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
24. Wire, Sarah D. (November 20, 2015). "Inside the Syrian refugee vote: California representatives explain what shaped their votes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
25. Bycoffe, Anna Wiederkehr and Aaron (October 22, 2021). "Does Your Member Of Congress Vote With Or Against Biden?". Retrieved November 3, 2022.
26. "Julia Brownley". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
27. . New Democrat Coalition. Archived from the original on February 8, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
28. "Members". House Baltic Caucus. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
29. . Congressional Arts Caucus. Archived from the original on January 20, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
30. Brownley, Julia (June 24, 2022). "Today, the Supreme Court of the United States took unprecedented, deeply disappointing, and ideologically driven action to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision protecting the right to safe and legal abortion". Twitter. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
31. (PDF) https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2022-general/sov/48-congress.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
32. www.sos.ca.gov (PDF) https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2020-general/sov/24-us-reps.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
33. "Election 2020 | California Secretary of State". www.sos.ca.gov.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Julia Brownley.

• Congresswoman Julia Brownley official U.S. House website
• Julia Brownley for Congress campaign website
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Julia Brownley at Curlie

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
• Profile at Vote Smart

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by David Dreier	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 26th congressional district 2013–present	Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by Ami Bera	United States representatives by seniority 126th	Succeeded by Tony Cárdenas