David Brown (Pennsylvania)

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

David Brown

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

May 17, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

West Chester University, 2011

Graduate

University of Delaware, 2013

Personal

Birthplace

Pennsylvania

Religion

Unitarian Universalist (atheist)

Profession

Campaign consulting

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Instagram

David Brown (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to represent District 166. He lost in the Democratic primary on May 17, 2022.

Brown completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

David Brown was born in Pennsylvania. He earned a bachelor's degree from West Chester University in 2011 and a graduate degree from the University of Delaware in 2013. His career experience includes working in campaign consulting.

Elections

2022

See also: Pennsylvania House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

General election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 166

Incumbent Gregory Vitali defeated Kimberly Razzano and Edward Clifford III in the general election for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 166 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Gregory Vitali (D)	65.5	22,941
	Submit photo	Kimberly Razzano (R)	33.5	11,758
		Edward Clifford III (L)	1.0	350

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 35,049
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 166

Incumbent Gregory Vitali defeated David Brown in the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 166 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Gregory Vitali	58.2	5,986
		David Brown	41.8	4,298

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,284
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 166

Kimberly Razzano advanced from the Republican primary for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 166 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Kimberly Razzano	100.0	6,564

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,564
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

To view Brown's endorsements in the 2022 election, please click here.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

David Brown completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Brown's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Haverford Township resident and professional activist, David Brown is running for State Representative in PA’s 166th District to bring new energy and ideas to Harrisburg. His background as a campaign manager, artist, educator, and service industry employee uniquely positions him for a multifaceted command of the issues, and demonstrates a proven commitment to the Progressive Democratic platform. Most recently, David managed the 2021 Delaware County coordinated Democratic campaign, electing all seven countywide candidates, defying national and statewide odds, and securing the party’s long-term electoral dominance.

David is running on a platform of protecting voting rights, leveraging his elections expertise to root out the most devious manifestations of voter suppression; fighting the climate crisis, calling for a moratorium on new fracking and for PA to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI); and strengthening workers’ rights, supporting a $15 minimum wage, indexed to the cost of living. He is running the district’s first comprehensive, modern legislative campaign to ensure maximum Democratic turnout for Pennsylvania’s critical up-ballot races.

David serves as Chair of the PA Secular Democrats, and is a member of the PA State Democratic Committee, Haverford Township Democratic Committee, Main Line NAACP, and the American Federation of Musicians Local 77.

Beyond politics, David is a professional violinist, composer, and concert producer.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• As a legislator, David Brown will be multifaceted in his scope of the issues, diligent in responding to constituents, and exceptionally proactive in Harrisburg. His service as one of Delaware County's most trusted political professionals is demonstrative of the energy and savvy that he will bring to the office. This is why David has been endorsed by the Delaware County Democratic Party.
• David Brown is committed to collaboration with Haverford and Marple municipal governments. He has been endorsed by President of the Haverford Township Board of Commissioners, Larry Holmes, who knows that David "will team with local leaders to channel the resources of the Commonwealth back into the Community." Holmes and his colleagues "have been waiting 16 years for that partnership in Haverford Township."
• In modern history, the 166th District has been without a serious legislative campaign to get out the vote. The David Brown campaign will not take for granted the heavily Democratic-leaning nature of the district, understanding the importance of getting out the vote for up-ballot candidates. They are running a complete, robust campaign that comprises canvassing, phone banking, text banking, fundraising, and paid communications.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Attacks on voting rights is at once the existential threat that faces our Democracy, and David Brown's wheelhouse. He has fought on the frontlines of our elections as a Democratic campaign manager, working to fight disinformation and voter suppression alike. He has seen every dirty trick in the book, and will know which nuanced issues demand legislative rehabilitation. Straight-ticket voting must be reimplemented to prevent long lines, and "drop-off" voting in low-information elections. Protections for mail-in ballots must be instated to prevent external factors–like postal errors–from disenfranchising voters who followed the rules. Pre-canvassing of mail-in ballots must be allowed so that results can be disclosed on election night, and to prevent aspersions cast on early voting.

Beyond the voting rights issue, fighting climate change and strengthening workers' rights are among David's top priorities. He has called for a moratorium on new fracking, for PA to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), to raise the minimum wage to $15–and to be indexed to the cost of living, and to bolster labor laws that prevent union-busting.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Not meaning to be cliché, I look up to Senator Bernie Sanders. He is evidence to me that it is possible to remain unspoiled by power and fame. Throughout his career, he has been on the right side of the issues, regardless of the impact of his positions on his career. I aspire to be an elected official who will speak truth to power, even if it means risking my own political prospects.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

How about a piece of music?

I recommend Shostakovich's 5th Symphony, composed in veiled protest of the Soviet government while under strict scrutiny from the Bolsheviks. His task was to write nationalist music–an apology of sorts for his nonconformist views expressed in previous works. But the outcome is a masterpiece of tragedy, oppression, cynicism, taunting, rage, and ultimately, triumph.

In other words, this work is a manifestation of the composer's understanding of and compliance with the process to realize a greater, vastly more profound vision–all without compromising his integrity, and boldly in the face of excommunication or death.

This beautifully elucidates my philosophical aspirations as a legislator–and fortunately, without fear for my life!

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

How to say it without sounding cliché again? Integrity, integrity, integrity. The deeper into this field I get, the harder it is to find those who will always do the right thing, and for the right reasons. Be it clinging to an elected office for the perks of the job, walking in lockstep with a malevolent party ideology, or legislating according to their biggest donors, our elected officials–broadly speaking–are for too removed from what I suspect are the reasons that they ran in the first place.

But beyond that, I would add work ethic and collaborative prowess. We need representatives in government who will work hard, and play well with others.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am persistently introspective: why am I doing something, and is it for the right reasons?

I have a steadfast ethical code, and I would sooner risk my own career than abandon it.

I am a people person. Connecting with others is not only a skill of mine, but a passion. It is one of my favorite elements of campaigning, and I would look forward to forging meaningful relationships with colleagues in the legislature.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A State Representative must be willing to fight for all issues and for all constituents. PA legislative districts are not so large nor individually diverse that this is an unreasonable responsibility. In that same vein, State Reps should be liaisons between municipal government entities and the state. That is, when the local government requires resources, a State Rep should fight like hell to acquire them from Harrisburg.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I'd like to be the legislator who moved the needle on fracking in PA. This could easily become my life's work, and I could be at peace with that. I expect this to be one of the most ambitious potential legislative aspirations, but I am committed to doing my part for the planet.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Not yet four years old, I remember in January, 1993 watching George H. W. Bush ceremoniously leaving the White House. He appeared to me to be crying–and whether or not he was, I remember being shocked to see a grown man cry. This was antithetical to the conception of early 90s masculinity!

More consequential, but much later, was September 11th, 2001, during which I was in 7th grade. "Surely there must be some smaller, local 'World Trade Center' in which nobody could have been seriously hurt." I remember thinking when a teacher came in, pale-faced to deliver the news. G. W. Bush's ensuing declaration of war two years later inspired me to begin working on campaigns, starting with Kerry in '04.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I started teaching private violin lessons and gigging at the age of 13, and have been doing so ever since–so, 20 years now. The elements of collaboration, work ethic, and creativity necessary to survive in the music industry have been directly transferrable to my work in activism. As an adult, working in the arts can be the archetypal struggle for financial stability; but as a kid, it offered an invaluable, early perspective of economic classes–from destitute musicians to their wealthy employers–that remains to this day an incentive behind my political endeavors for economic justice.

What is your favorite book? Why?

A Universe from Nothing: Why there is Something rather than Nothing

by Lawrence Krauss

This was my foray into my [very, very amateur] interest in theoretical physics, cosmology, and particle physics. It's exceptionally complex science broken down for the layperson: one of my favorite genres.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Robin Hood!

Okay, Medieval England is about the last time and place I'd want to live–but this guy tackled economic inequity in serious style.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

I'll have a hipster answer here. Blame it on my musical training!

It's the third of Nikolai Kapustin's Op. 40 Concert Études for solo piano. He was a Ukrainian-born composer of jazz-inspired "classical" works. This one is short, but fiercely complex, driving, syncopated, and deeply compelling.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Without disclosing personal details, my upbringing was nontraditional. Contending with certain setbacks, however, forced me to consider more carefully the person I wanted to become, and the role that I wanted to play in the world.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Each should serve as a reasonable foil to the other–and this is not to speak of political partisanship, but of function. Clearly, the gridlock between our D Governor and R Legislature is not functional. Most importantly, neither entity should have the power to infringe on each other's role. Curbing Governor Wolf's emergency powers to score political points over COVID was a flagrant abuse of the constitutional amendment process that accomplished exactly such a dangerous infringement.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

The fallout of Donald Trump's presidency and the Big Lie present what appears to be our greatest existential threat. If the democratic process fails, there is no safeguard against our shift to an oligarchy–or autocracy. PA's legislative Republicans have fought hard to chip away at our voting rights in subtle, dangerous ways–from banning the pre-canvassing of mail-in ballots and discontinuing straight-ticket voting, to imposing stricter laws on the acceptance of mail-in ballots submitted lawfully by voters, but mishandled by external entities. If voters can't choose their elected officials, there is no longer the impetus for our lawmakers to resolve our other crises, including...

Climate change. As a contributor of 1% of *global* greenhouse gas emissions, PA must make inroads to curb dirty energy production. Who knows which disasters will transpire in a decade's time. We have a large enough industry in our state that our government could affect the climate crisis in a meaningful way. Fracking absolutely must be phased out. But as I've said before, progress demands a process. And no transition to a green energy sector would be effective without bringing labor leaders to the table. Jobs vs. the Environment is a false dichotomy that does not need to exist.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?

Unicameral versus bicameral is a sheer balance between efficiency and proper safeguards. In theory, I support the latter for its potential to produce more balanced and refined legislation. In reality (in PA), once again, the mechanism fails under gerrymandering and the ensuing ultra-partisanship.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

At a baseline, sure. Understanding the process is obviously a boon for any productive legislator. But this should not be a gateway that prevents better qualified candidates, possibly with more perspective and integrity, from breaking in. It would be a whole lot easier for a newcomer to learn the ropes than (potentially) for a veteran legislator to learn better morals and work ethic.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely. I can think of no workplace environment wherein collaboration would *not* be essential. Not only do I see the value in building strong relationships along party lines, but in partnering with the other side. In a perfect system, Ds would be the gas pedal, and Rs the brakes: equally essential. Even today, where Ds are a gas pedal that only goes down halfway, and Rs are an explosive self-destruct pedal, building relationships are essential in the logistics of getting things done!

What process do you favor for redistricting?

PA's current process is very effective: a bipartisan commission, comprising the majority and minority leadership of both chambers of the legislature, plus an independent chairperson vetted on a basis of technical expertise.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

The Environmental Resources & Energy, Government Oversight, and Labor & Industry committees are of particular interest to me.

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

N/A

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Senator Carolyn Committa-D (PA SD19) has been a role model of mine for over a decade. She embodies the selfless public servant, diligently responsive to her constituents, and steadfast in her commitment to her values.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Yes, but only if I'm really good at being a State Representative first!

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

A couple down the street lost their son to an opioid overdose, and have translated their tragedy into a lobbying organization that fights the opioid epidemic in Harrisburg–but they need the support of state legislators. Apparently, they have sought the support of our current representative who has completely ignored them for years on a basis of opioids "not being his issue." Their story not only inspires me to appreciate all that I take for granted in my life–thus far unencumbered by tragedy–but to be an elected official who stands up for all of my constituents, regardless of their issues.

Tell us your favorite joke.

So, the Dalai Lama walks into a pizza shop and says, "Make me one with everything."

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

No. We have now seen firsthand in PA how important emergency powers are–and the dangers of revoking them. Partisanship aside, this is a mechanism by which the [deliberately] slow process of governing can be overridden in the face of a disaster. Republicans curbed our Democratic Governor's powers on a basis of political expediency, just in time for thousands more Pennsylvanians to die of COVID-19.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Yes and no. Obviously, progress demands a process, and one cannot hope to accomplish *anything*–especially in the minority–without compromise. On the other hand, when it comes to defending human rights, mitigating climate change, or defending democracy, it is hard to imagine "compromise" that is justified. So, necessary? Unfortunately, yes. Desirable? In theory, but not currently in practice.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 166

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Footnotes

[show]

Current members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Leadership

Speaker of the House:Joanna McClinton

Majority Leader:Kerry Benninghoff

Minority Leader:Jesse Topper

Representatives

District 1

Patrick Harkins (D)

District 2

Robert Merski (D)

District 3

Ryan Bizzarro (D)

District 4

Jake Banta (R)

District 5

Eric Weaknecht (R)

District 6

Bradley Roae (R)

District 7

Parke Wentling (R)

District 8

Aaron Bernstine (R)

District 9

Marla Brown (R)

District 10

Amen Brown (D)

District 11

Marci Mustello (R)

District 12

Stephenie Scialabba (R)

District 13

John Lawrence (R)

District 14

Roman Kozak (R)

District 15

Joshua Kail (R)

District 16

Robert Matzie (D)

District 17

Tim Bonner (R)

District 18

K.C. Tomlinson (R)

District 19

Aerion Abney (D)

District 20

Emily Kinkead (D)

District 21

Lindsay Powell (D)

District 22

Joshua Siegel (D)

District 23

Dan Frankel (D)

District 24

La'Tasha Mayes (D)

District 25

Brandon Markosek (D)

District 26

Paul Friel (D)

District 27

Daniel Deasy (D)

District 28

Jeremy Shaffer (R)

District 29

Tim Brennan (D)

District 30

Arvind Venkat (D)

District 31

Perry Warren (D)

District 32

Joe McAndrew (D)

District 33

Mandy Steele (D)

District 34

Abigail Salisbury (D)

District 35

Dan Goughnour (D)

District 36

Jessica Benham (D)

District 37

Mindy Fee (R)

District 38

John Inglis (D)

District 39

Andrew Kuzma (R)

District 40

Natalie Mihalek (R)

District 41

Brett Miller (R)

District 42

Dan Miller (D)

District 43

Keith Greiner (R)

District 44

Valerie Gaydos (R)

District 45

Anita Kulik (D)

District 46

Jason Ortitay (R)

District 47

Joe D'Orsie (R)

District 48

Timothy O'Neal (R)

District 49

Ismail Smith-Wade-El (D)

District 50

Bud Cook (R)

District 51

Charity Grimm Krupa (R)

District 52

Ryan Warner (R)

District 53

Steven Malagari (D)

District 54

Greg Scott (D)

District 55

Jill Cooper (R)

District 56

Brian Rasel (R)

District 57

Eric Nelson (R)

District 58

Eric Davanzo (R)

District 59

Leslie Rossi (R)

District 60

Abby Major (R)

District 61

Liz Hanbidge (D)

District 62

James Struzzi (R)

District 63

Josh Bashline (R)

District 64

R. James (R)

District 65

Kathy Rapp (R)

District 66

Brian Smith (R)

District 67

Martin Causer (R)

District 68

Clint Owlett (R)

District 69

Carl Metzgar (R)

District 70

Matthew Bradford (D)

District 71

Jim Rigby (R)

District 72

Frank Burns (D)

District 73

Dallas Kephart (R)

District 74

Dan Williams (D)

District 75

Mike Armanini (R)

District 76

Stephanie Borowicz (R)

District 77

Scott Conklin (D)

District 78

Jesse Topper (R)

District 79

Louis Schmitt (R)

District 80

Scott Barger (R)

District 81

Richard Irvin (R)

District 82

Paul Takac (D)

District 83

Jamie Flick (R)

District 84

Joe Hamm (R)

District 85

David Rowe (R)

District 86

Perry Stambaugh (R)

District 87

Thomas Kutz (R)

District 88

Sheryl Delozier (R)

District 89

Rob Kauffman (R)

District 90

Chad Reichard (R)

District 91

Dan Moul (R)

District 92

Marc Anderson (R)

District 93

Mike Jones (R)

District 94

Wendy Fink (R)

District 95

Carol Hill-Evans (D)

District 96

Nikki Rivera (D)

District 97

Steven Mentzer (R)

District 98

Tom Jones (R)

District 99

David Zimmerman (R)

District 100

Bryan Cutler (R)

District 101

John Schlegel (R)

District 102

Russell Diamond (R)

District 103

Nate Davidson (D)

District 104

Dave Madsen (D)

District 105

Justin Fleming (D)

District 106

Thomas Mehaffie (R)

District 107

Joanne Stehr (R)

District 108

Michael Stender (R)

District 109

Robert Leadbeter (R)

District 110

Tina Pickett (R)

District 111

Jonathan Fritz (R)

District 112

Kyle Mullins (D)

District 113

Kyle Donahue (D)

District 114

Bridget Malloy Kosierowski (D)

District 115

Maureen Madden (D)

District 116

Dane Watro (R)

District 117

Jamie Walsh (R)

District 118

James Haddock (D)

District 119

Alec Ryncavage (R)

District 120

Brenda Pugh (R)

District 121

Eddie Pashinski (D)

District 122

Doyle Heffley (R)

District 123

Tim Twardzik (R)

District 124

Jamie Barton (R)

District 125

Joe Kerwin (R)

District 126

Jacklyn Rusnock (D)

District 127

Manuel Guzman (D)

District 128

Mark Gillen (R)

District 129

Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz (D)

District 130

David Maloney (R)

District 131

Milou Mackenzie (R)

District 132

Michael Schlossberg (D)

District 133

Jeanne McNeill (D)

District 134

Peter Schweyer (D)

District 135

Steve Samuelson (D)

District 136

Robert Freeman (D)

District 137

Joe Emrick (R)

District 138

Ann Flood (R)

District 139

Jeff Olsommer (R)

District 140

Jim Prokopiak (D)

District 141

Tina Davis (D)

District 142

Joseph Hogan (R)

District 143

Shelby Labs (R)

District 144

Brian Munroe (D)

District 145

Craig Staats (R)

District 146

Joseph Ciresi (D)

District 147

Donna Scheuren (R)

District 148

Mary Daley (D)

District 149

Tim Briggs (D)

District 150

Joseph Webster (D)

District 151

Melissa Cerrato (D)

District 152

Nancy Guenst (D)

District 153

Ben Sanchez (D)

District 154

Napoleon Nelson (D)

District 155

Danielle Friel Otten (D)

District 156

Christopher Pielli (D)

District 157

Melissa Shusterman (D)

District 158

Christina Sappey (D)

District 159

Carol Kazeem (D)

District 160

Craig Williams (R)

District 161

Leanne Krueger (D)

District 162

David Delloso (D)

District 163

Heather Boyd (D)

District 164

Gina Curry (D)

District 165

Jennifer O'Mara (D)

District 166

Gregory Vitali (D)

District 167

Kristine Howard (D)

District 168

Lisa Borowski (D)

District 169

Kate Klunk (R)

District 170

Martina White (R)

District 171

Kerry Benninghoff (R)

District 172

Sean Dougherty (D)

District 173

Patrick Gallagher (D)

District 174

Ed Neilson (D)

District 175

Mary Isaacson (D)

District 176

Jack Rader (R)

District 177

Joseph Hohenstein (D)

District 178

Kristin Marcell (R)

District 179

Jason Dawkins (D)

District 180

Jose Giral (D)

District 181

Malcolm Kenyatta (D)

District 182

Benjamin Waxman (D)

District 183

Zachary Mako (R)

District 184

Elizabeth Fiedler (D)

District 185

Regina Young (D)

District 186

Jordan Harris (D)

District 187

Gary Day (R)

District 188

Rick Krajewski (D)

District 189

Tarah Probst (D)

District 190

Roni Green (D)

District 191

Joanna McClinton (D)

District 192

Morgan Cephas (D)

District 193

Torren Ecker (R)

District 194

Tarik Khan (D)

District 195

Keith Harris (D)

District 196

Seth Grove (R)

District 197

Danilo Burgos (D)

District 198

Darisha Parker (D)

District 199

Barbara Gleim (R)

District 200

Christopher Rabb (D)

District 201

Andre Carroll (D)

District 202

Jared Solomon (D)

District 203

Anthony Bellmon (D)

Democratic Party (102)

Republican Party (101)