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Bryan TownsendDEMDemocrat State Senator, District 11
42
Years of Age
12
Years of Experience
DEResidence (state)

Bryan Jeffrey Schurgard Townsend (born May 19, 1981) is an American politician who represents District 11 in the Delaware Senate. 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. Townsend went on to defeat Republican Evan Queitsch in the general election, winning 78 percent of the vote.Townsend was reelected in 2014. He defeated primary challenger David L. Tackett with 78 percent of the vote, and was unopposed in the general election.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. 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%).Townsend supports gun control and has supported a bill in 2018 to ban assault weapons.

Voterly's Issue Scores  (1 - 4 of 4)

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Campaign Funding

20
18
$3,300
Total Raised
$7,731
Total Spent
$0
Cash on Hand
Financial Data Source: Center for Responsive Politics
Education8 - 8 of 6
Yale Law School
JD Law
2006 - 2009
University of Cambridge
MPhil Chinese Studies
2004 - 2006
University of Delaware
BA Philosophy/Biology
1999 - 2004
University of Delaware
BS Economics
1999 - 2003
University of Delaware
MA Economics
1999 - 2003
Peking University
Attended
Past Positions1 - 12 of 12
Majority Leader
Delaware State Senate
2021 - Current
Majority Whip
Delaware State Senate
2019 - 2021
Senator
Delaware State Senate
2012 - Current
Associate
Morris, Nichols, Arsht and Tunnell Limited Liability Partnership
2010 - 2011
Associate
Morris James Limited Liability Partnership
2010 - Current
Probationary Firefighter
Christiana Volunteer Fire Company
2010 - Current
Law Clerk
Chancellor William B. Chandler III Delaware Court of Chancery
2009 - 2010
Summer Associate
Davis Polk and Wardwell Limited Liability Partnership
2008
Research Associate
Yale Law School, China Law Center
2002 - 2007
Research Assistant
Department of Clinical Bioethics, National Institutes of Health
2004
Research Associate
Research Group, Christiana Care Health System
2002 - 2004
Former Employee
MBNA, Ogletown
Other Experience1 - 24 of 24
Supporter
Special Olympics Delaware
Current
Big Brother
Big Brothers Big Sisters, Delaware
1998 - 2004
Member
Marching Band, Delaware Foundation Reaching Citizens Blue-Gold All*Star Games
1998 - 1999
Director
Board of Directors, Greater Newark Boys & Girls Club
Volunteer
Food Bank of Delaware
Chair
Labor Committee, Delaware State Senate
2023 - 2024
Member
Rules & Ethics Committee, Delaware State Senate
2023 - 2024
Member
Housing & Land Use Committee, Delaware State Senate
2023 - 2024
Member
Judiciary Committee, Delaware State Senate
2023 - 2024
Vice Chair
Executive Committee, Delaware State Senate
2023 - 2024
Former Chair
Health, Children & Social Services Committee, Delaware State Senate
Former Chair
Health & Social Services Committee, Delaware State Senate
Former Member
Education Committee, Delaware State Senate
Former Member
Joint Capital Improvement (Bond) Committee, Delaware State Senate
Former Member
Banking, Business & Insurance Committee, Delaware State Senate
Former Member
Capital Improvement Committee, Delaware State Senate
Former Member
Judiciary Committee, Delaware State Senate
Former Member
Joint Committee on Capital Improvement, Delaware State Senate
Former Member
Adult & Juvenile Corrections Committee, Delaware State Senate
Former Member
Sunset Committee, Delaware State Senate
Former Member
Veterans Affairs Committee, Delaware State Senate
Former Member
Public Safety Committee, Delaware State Senate
Former Member
Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee, Delaware State Senate
Former Member
Corrections & Public Safety Committee, Delaware State Senate