Bryan Jeffrey Schurgard Townsend (born May 19, 1981) is an American politician who represents District 11 in the Delaware Senate.[1] Townsend was elected Senate Majority Leader in 2020. He graduated from the University of Delaware in 2003.
As a political newcomer, Townsend defeated Anthony J. DeLuca—who was then President pro tempore of the Delaware Senate—in the 2012 Democratic primary by 57 percent to 42 percent.[2][3] Townsend went on to defeat Republican Evan Queitsch in the general election, winning 78 percent of the vote.[4][5]
Townsend was reelected in 2014. He defeated primary challenger David L. Tackett with 78 percent of the vote,[6] and was unopposed in the general election.[7]
In September 2015, in the wake of Representative John Carney's announcement that he would run for governor of the state, Townsend announced his candidacy for Delaware's at-large seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.[8] On September 13, 2016, his candidacy ended when he placed second in a six-way Democratic primary, behind former state Secretary of Labor Lisa Blunt Rochester (25% to 44%).[9][10]
Townsend supports gun control and has supported a bill in 2018 to ban assault weapons.[11]
References
- ^ "Official web site of First State Legislature". www.legis.delaware.gov. January 20, 2009. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
- ^ "Incumbents DeLuca and Booth fall in State Senate primary races, Bennett wins primary for husband's House seat | WDDE 91.1 FM | Delaware's NPR News station". Wdde.org. September 12, 2012. Archived from the original on April 16, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
- ^ "Primary Election Results". Retrieved November 30, 2012.
- ^ "2012 Election Results". Retrieved November 30, 2012.
- ^ "Townsend elected to state Senate - The Review - The independent student newspaper of the University of Delaware since 1882". Udreview.com. November 12, 2012. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
- ^ "2014 Primary Election Results". Delaware Department of Elections. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
- ^ "State of Delaware General Election Official Results". Dover, Delaware: Delaware Commissioner of Elections. November 7, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
- ^ "State Sen. Bryan Townsend announces congressional bid". Delaware News Journal. September 17, 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
- ^ "2016 Primary Election Results". Delaware Department of Elections. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ^ "Blunt Rochester wins Democratic primary for Congress". Delaware News Journal. September 13, 2017. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ^ "Assault style weapons ban unable to get out of committee". Retrieved June 6, 2018.
External links
- Official page at the Delaware General Assembly
- Bryan Townsend State Senate Site
- Bryan Townsend Congressional Campaign Site
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