Julia Brownley Bio
Julia Andrews Brownley (born August 28, 1952) is an American businesswoman and politician who has represented California’s 26th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2012. Before entering public service, she built a career in marketing and sales and served as a local school board member in Southern California.
Brownley grew up in Virginia, earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Mount Vernon College for Women at George Washington University in 1975, and later completed a Master of Business Administration at American University in 1979. On January 8, 2026, she announced that she would not seek reelection and would retire from Congress in 2027.
Early Life and Background
Julia Andrews Brownley was born on August 28, 1952, in Aiken, South Carolina, and raised in the Commonwealth of Virginia. She attended Fairfax Hall, a girls’ boarding school in Waynesboro, Virginia, where she spent four years as a student before moving on to higher education.
After completing her secondary schooling, Brownley enrolled at Mount Vernon College for Women, which was part of George Washington University, and graduated in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science. She then continued her studies at American University, where she earned a Master of Business Administration in 1979. Her academic training in both political science and business helped shape her later transition from the private sector into public service.
Path to US Politics
Before entering politics, Brownley worked in the private sector in marketing and sales, applying the business training she had received at American University. Her interest in community issues eventually drew her into local public service, and in 1994 she was elected to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education, where she served for twelve years.
During her time on the school board, Brownley served three terms as board president, gaining experience in budget oversight, education policy, and constituent representation. That local work helped establish her profile in the region and prepared her for a move into state-level politics. In 2006, she launched her first campaign for the California State Assembly, beginning the legislative phase of her career.
Julia Brownley Career
Early Career (2006-2012)
Julia Andrews Brownley began her legislative career in 2006 when she ran for the California State Assembly in the 41st Assembly district, which included Santa Monica. She won a five-way Democratic primary with 35 percent of the vote and went on to win the general election with 62 percent of the vote. In 2008, she was reelected with 66 percent of the vote, and in 2010, she secured a third term with 59 percent of the vote.
During her time in the California State Assembly, Brownley worked on a range of consumer and environmental issues. In 2010, she authored a bill that would have banned all plastic shopping bags, though the measure did not pass. She was term-limited in 2012, having served the maximum of three terms permitted under California law.
Congressional Breakthrough (2012-2014)
In February 2012, Julia Andrews Brownley announced her candidacy for California’s 26th congressional district, a seat previously held by 13-term Republican Elton Gallegly. In the general election, she defeated Republican state senator Tony Strickland, 53 percent to 47 percent, and was endorsed by groups including Emily’s List and Planned Parenthood.
She took office in 2013 and quickly joined the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s Frontline Program, which was designed to help protect vulnerable Democratic incumbents. In her first reelection bid, she narrowly defeated Republican state assemblyman Jeff Gorell. Initial results showed her winning 51 percent to 49 percent, with about 4,000 votes separating the candidates, making the race one of the closer contests of the cycle.
Continued Service in the House (2015-Present)
Since her arrival in Congress, Julia Andrews Brownley has served on key committees and has been an active voice on defense, education, and environmental issues affecting her coastal California district. She has supported the DREAM Act, the Affordable Care Act, and same-sex marriage, while also advocating for increased insurance company regulation, job training funds, toxic cleanup, and higher public education funding.
Brownley has also taken leading roles on food and agriculture policy. In 2021, she and Representative Jim McGovern led a letter signed by 46 members of Congress requesting 200 million dollars for alternative proteins research. In 2023, she authored the Producing Real Opportunities for Technology and Entrepreneurs Investing in Nutrition, or PROTEIN, Act, which would have established alternative protein job training programs and research centers. She has continued to push the administration to expand plant-based meal options in federal facilities, including prisons. On January 8, 2026, she announced that she would not seek reelection and would retire from the House of Representatives in 2027.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Julia Andrews Brownley’s most notable achievements are her twelve years on the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education, three terms in the California State Assembly, and her ongoing service in the United States House of Representatives. She strongly opposed the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling the decision unprecedented, deeply disappointing, and ideologically driven, and she voted to provide Israel with support following the October 7 attacks.
Julia Brownley Career Wins
Julia Andrews Brownley has built a steady record of electoral success at the local, state, and federal levels, winning multiple races in California over nearly two decades of public service.
California State Assembly Wins
Brownley won three consecutive races for the California State Assembly in the 41st district, in 2006, 2008, and 2010. Her vote share rose from 62 percent in her first race to 66 percent in 2008 before settling at 59 percent in 2010, demonstrating consistent support from her Santa Monica-area constituents.
Congressional Wins
At the federal level, Julia Andrews Brownley has won multiple races for California’s 26th congressional district, beginning with her 2012 victory over Tony Strickland. Her subsequent reelection bids have included the narrow 2014 contest against Jeff Gorell, in which she prevailed by about two percentage points.
Julia Brownley Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Limited public information is available about Julia Andrews Brownley’s immediate family background. She grew up in Virginia and attended Fairfax Hall, a girls’ boarding school in Waynesboro, before pursuing her college education in the Washington, D.C., area.
Personal Life
Julia Andrews Brownley is divorced and has two children. She is an Episcopalian and has long resided in the Santa Monica area of California, the community she has represented in both the state Assembly and the United States Congress.