Pat Browne

Pat Browne

Republican Party

Prior offices

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

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Pennsylvania State Senate District 16

Successor: Jarrett Coleman

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Elections and appointments

Last election

May 17, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

University of Notre Dame, 1986

Law

Temple University, 1993

Personal

Religion

Christian: Catholic

Contact

Personal LinkedIn

Pat Browne (Republican Party) was a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing District 16. He assumed office on May 3, 2005. He left office on November 30, 2022.

Browne (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the Pennsylvania State Senate to represent District 16. He lost in the Republican primary on May 17, 2022.

He served as the majority whip from 2010 to 2014.

Browne served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1994 to 2005.

Biography

Browne earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Notre Dame in 1986 and his J.D. from Temple University School of Law in 1993. His professional experience includes working as an accountant and an attorney.

Committee assignments

2021-2022

Browne was assigned to the following committees:

• Aging & Youth Committee
• Senate Appropriations Committee, Chair
• Senate Finance Committee, Vice Chair
• Law & Justice Committee
• Senate Local Government Committee

2019-2020

Browne was assigned to the following committees:

• Senate Appropriations Committee, Chair
• Health & Human Services Committee
• Senate Local Government Committee
• Senate Education Committee
• Senate Finance Committee, Vice Chair

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Browne served on the following committees:

2013-2014

In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Browne served on the following committees:

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Browne served on these committees:

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Browne served on these committees:

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Elections

2022

See also: Pennsylvania State Senate elections, 2022

General election

General election for Pennsylvania State Senate District 16

Jarrett Coleman defeated Mark Pinsley in the general election for Pennsylvania State Senate District 16 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jarrett Coleman (R)	54.2	68,344
		Mark Pinsley (D)	45.8	57,845

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 126,189
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Pennsylvania State Senate District 16

Mark Pinsley advanced from the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania State Senate District 16 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mark Pinsley	99.5	23,212
		Other/Write-in votes	0.5	108

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 23,320
= 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.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Pennsylvania State Senate District 16

Jarrett Coleman defeated incumbent Pat Browne in the Republican primary for Pennsylvania State Senate District 16 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jarrett Coleman	49.9	17,049
		Pat Browne	49.8	17,025
		Other/Write-in votes	0.3	89

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 34,163
= 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.
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Campaign finance

2018

See also: Pennsylvania State Senate elections, 2018

General election

General election for Pennsylvania State Senate District 16

Incumbent Pat Browne defeated Mark Pinsley in the general election for Pennsylvania State Senate District 16 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Pat Browne (R)	51.4	48,897
		Mark Pinsley (D)	48.6	46,200

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 95,097 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= 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.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Pennsylvania State Senate District 16

Mark Pinsley advanced from the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania State Senate District 16 on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mark Pinsley	100.0	12,473

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 12,473
= 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 State Senate District 16

Incumbent Pat Browne advanced from the Republican primary for Pennsylvania State Senate District 16 on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Pat Browne	100.0	11,516

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 11,516
= 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.

2014

See also: Pennsylvania State Senate elections, 2014

Elections for the Pennsylvania State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 20, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in that election was March 11, 2014. Incumbent Pat Browne was unopposed in the Republican primary, while Walter Felton Jr. was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Browne defeated Felton in the general election.^[1][2][3]

The Pennsylvania State Senate was a battleground chamber that Ballotpedia identified as having the opportunity to switch partisan control in 2014. The Pennsylvania Senate had a difference in partisan balance between Democrats and Republican of four seats, which amounts to 16 percent of the seats up for election in 2014. District 16 in the Senate was identified by Ballotpedia and the Philadelphia City Paper as a battleground district that could determine control of the Pennsylvania State Senate. In District 16, incumbent Pat Browne (R) defeated Walter Felton Jr. (D) in the general election. Browne, a well known figure in the district, had come under criticism for pushing Gov. Tom Corbett's priorities through the Senate.^[4]

Pennsylvania State Senate, District 16 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Pat Browne Incumbent	62.4%	36,745
	Democratic	Walter Felton, Jr.	37.6%	22,146
Total Votes				58,891

2010

See also: Pennsylvania State Senate elections, 2010

Browne won re-election to District 16. He was unopposed in the May 18 Republican primary and defeated Democrat Richard Orloski in the November 2 general election.^[5]

Pennsylvania State Senate District 16
Candidates		Votes
Pat Browne (R)		46,402
Richard Orloski (D)		29,028

2006

See also: Pennsylvania State Senate elections, 2006

On November 7, 2006, Browne was re-elected to Pennsylvania State Senate District 16.^[6]

Browne raised $484,052 for this campaign.^[7]

Pennsylvania State Senate District 16
Candidates		Votes
BROWNE, PAT (R)		38,764
ORLOSKI, RICHARD J. (D)		32,788

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Pat Browne did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2014

Browne's campaign website listed the following 11 areas of legislative accomplishments:^[8]

• Reform Initiatives

• Excerpt: "Browne “is leading the effort not only to develop a responsible means of funding the impending financial challenges facing these funds, but also to change the systems to more affordable 401(k) plans.”

• Job Creation

• Excerpt: "Browne “sponsored the ‘Pennsylvania Job Creation Act of 2006,’ which initiated important tax cuts/changes to make Pennsylvania’s climate for job creators more competitive.”

• Reducing Taxes

• Excerpt: "Browne “wrote the ‘Tax Uniform Procedures Act,’ which creates a tax system that is fairer and easier for both individuals and businesses to comply with. This was the first major reform of the appeals and audit section of the Tax Reform Code in 30 years.”

• Small Business Investment

• Excerpt: "Browne wrote the ‘Small Business Jobs Investment Act,’ which makes changes to tax reform code to allow for greater access to private capital by small business corporations.”

• Education

• Excerpt: "Browne “is the author of the statewide study to determine the basic cost per pupil to provide an education that will permit a student to meet the State's academic standards and assessments” which was “used to develop the first major reform in Pennsylvania’s education funding formula in over 30 years.”

• Children and Youth

• Excerpt: "Browne “sponsored the ‘Ounce of Prevention Act,’ which invests in programs that provide support for at-risk families and their newborn children.”

• Health and Safety

• Excerpt: "Browne “authored comprehensive amendments to Pennsylvania’s ‘Hazardous Materials and Emergency Response Act’ to protect businesses and citizens from the potential danger of hazardous materials in their vicinity.”

• Crime

• Excerpt: "Browne “sponsored the ‘Bail Reform Act,’ which would allow for the denial of bail for offenses where the maximum sentence is life imprisonment or for cases where there are no conditions other than imprisonment that will reasonably protect public safety.”

• Housing and Finance

• Excerpt: "Browne “sponsored ‘The Mortgage Reform Act of 2008,’ which targeted predatory and other questionable mortgage lending practices in Pennsylvania and required licensing of first and secondary mortgage originators.”

• Industry

• Excerpt: "Browne “sponsored amendments to the ‘Mechanics Lien Law,’ to ensure that title to residential property is not impaired by conflicts between general and subcontractors”

• Local Issue

• Excerpt: "Browne “was the Republican prime sponsor on the ‘Lehigh Valley Gaming Revenue Sharing Act,’ which allows for the first ever regional plan in the Lehigh Valley to share public revenue among the Valley’s municipal and county governments.”

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Pennsylvania

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states.  To contribute to the list of Pennsylvania scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

2022

In 2022, the Pennsylvania State Legislature was in session from January 4 to November 30.

• ACLU Pennsylvania

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to civil rights and civil liberties issues.

• National Federation of Independent Business

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.

• PA Chamber of Business and Industry

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.

• Pennsylvania Environmental Scorecard

Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues.

• The Institute for Legislative Analysis

Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.

2021

2020

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Browne and his wife, Heather, reside in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

See also

2022 Elections

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External links

Footnotes

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