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Marla Brown | |
|---|---|
| Member of thePennsylvania House of Representatives from the9th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Chris Sainato |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1970 (age 54–55) Edinburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Greg Brown |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence(s) | New Castle, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Education | Gannon University (BA) Geneva College (MS) |
| Alma mater | Mohawk High School |
| Website | www.repmarlabrown.com |
Marla A. Gallo Brown[1] (born 1970) is an American politician who currently represents the9th District in thePennsylvania House of Representatives since 2023. She is a member of theRepublican Party.
Brown was born in 1970, the eldest of four siblings,[2] inEdinburg, Pennsylvania.[3] She is of Italian ancestry.[2] Brown graduated fromMohawk High School in 1988.[2][4] She earnedBachelor of Arts degree fromGannon University in 1992 and aMaster of Science fromGeneva College in 2000.[4]
Brown worked forUPS for 15 years,[3] including working inLondon as the company's director of sales and marketing for the United Kingdom and Ireland.[3][5] She later ran a medical spa inGeorgia for nine years.[3]
In2022, Brown won a three-wayRepublican primary election to challenge incumbentDemocraticPennsylvania State Representative from the9th DistrictChris Sainato.[6] She defeated Sainato in the general election.[7]
Brown opposes the right to anabortion. From 2015 to 2018, she was CEO of Pregnancy Aid Clinic,[6] anAtlanta-based Catholic anti-abortion organization.[6][8]
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 asswatting, 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]
In April 2023, Brown introduced a bill that would createopen primary elections in Pennsylvania.[13][14] She has argued againstclosed 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 RepresentativeJared 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]
During her 2022 campaign, Brown signed a pledge to refuse stateper diems, state pension, or taxpayer-funded car. Brown also pledge to only serve eight years in the state legislature.[17]
Brown voted against a bill to incrementally raise Pennsylvania's minimum to fifteen dollars an hour by 2026.[18]
Brown lives inNew Castle, Pennsylvania with her husband Greg Brown. She has three children.[4][19]
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Marla Brown | 27,029 | 94.66 | |
| Write-in | 1,524 | 5.34 | ||
| Total votes | 28,553 | 100.00 | ||
