Stephanie Borowicz
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
from the 76th district
Assumed office
January 1, 2019
Preceded byMike Hanna
Personal details
Born1977 or 1978 (age 45–46)[1]
Political partyRepublican
Alma materVanguard University of Southern California (BA)

Stephanie Paige Borowicz[2] is an American politician currently serving as a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 76th district since January 1, 2019. She is the first woman to represent the 76th district.[3]

Early life and education

Borowicz was raised in Orlando, Florida[4] and graduated from Altamonte Christian School in 1995. She received a Bachelors of Arts in Liberal Studies with a minor in Bible Studies from Vanguard University of Southern California in 1999.[5] She worked as an elementary school teacher and as president of a non-profit organization.[3] She moved to Clinton County, Pennsylvania in 2009.[4]

Career

Borowicz was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 76th district in 2018, defeating Mike Hanna Jr., the son of Mike Hanna, Sr. who served as state Representative for the 76th district for the previous 30 years.[6]

Borowicz gained national attention when she gave an invocation at the start of a state house session in which she invoked Jesus 13 times, praised Trump, praised Israel, and said, "at the name of Jesus, every knee will bend." The prayer was given on the same day that Movita Johnson-Harrell was sworn in as the first Muslim woman to serve in the chamber.[7] Johnson-Harrel criticized the invocation as "weaponized prayer" and as an example of Islamophobia.[8] Borowicz brushed off the criticism in an interview with Todd Starnes on Fox News Radio, saying she prayed in the same manner she always prayed. She claimed that people were offended because "there's power in the name of Jesus."[9]

In May 2019, a man in a shirt with the name and logo of The American Guard took a selfie with Borowicz at a pro-gun rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. This caused some controversy due to The American Guard being an organization "which anti-hate organizations describe as having ties to white supremacists."[10]

She achieved notoriety again when, during the coronavirus pandemic of 2019-2020, she called the virus a "punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins"[11] and days later amid the crisis called for a state day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer.[12]

After the 2020 Presidential election, Borowicz was one of 26 Pennsylvania House Republicans who called for withdrawing certification of presidential electors, despite there being no evidence of fraud, and despite Joe Biden winning Pennsylvania by over 80,000 votes. This was also after federal appeals brought by the Trump campaign were dismissed due to lack of evidence.[13]

In 2022, Borowicz introduced a bill modeled a after Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law. Her bill would ban discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in schools through the fifth grade, but Borowicz said the measure should be extended through twelfth grade. The introduction of her bill came after the Pennsylvania Department of Education launched a webpage containing advice for teachers to create "gender-inclusive classrooms."[14] The bill was referred to the State House's Education Committee, but was never taken up.[15] She reintroduced the bill in 2023.[16]

Personal life

Her husband is a pastor and together they have three sons.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Race of the 76th: Q&A with Mike and Stephanie". www.lockhaven.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  2. ↑ "Stephanie Borowicz". Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Ready to Lead: Borowicz Takes Oath as First-Ever Woman State Representative in 76th Legislative District". pahousegop.com. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 Olson, Tyler (9 October 2018). "76th District Voters Choosing New Representative For First Time In Nearly 30 Years". www.radio.wpsu.org. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  5. ↑ "Pennsylvania House of Representatives - Stephanie Borowicz". www.legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  6. ↑ Mahon, Ed (29 March 2019). "Who is Stephanie Borowicz, the Pa. lawmaker accused of giving a 'weaponizing prayer'?". www.pennlive.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  7. ↑ "First female Muslim member of Pennsylvania House offended by GOP member's prayer before swearing-in". CBS News. March 27, 2019.
  8. ↑ Keneally, Meghan. "Islamophobia: Critics decry Christian prayer at swearing-in of Muslim lawmaker". www.abnews.go.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  9. ↑ Starnes, Todd (31 March 2019). "Lawmaker Refuses to Apologize For Praying in Name of Jesus". www.toddstarnes.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  10. ↑ Navratil, Liz; Couloumbis, Angela (May 8, 2019). "Pa. Lawmaker Poses for Photo with Man in Group with White Supremacist Ties". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved January 26, 2023..
  11. ↑ "Coronavirus is punishment from God". www.pennlive.com. 24 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  12. ↑ "State Rep proposes controversial 'Day of Humiliation' in PA amid coronavirus pandemic". www.wsjactv.com. 24 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  13. ↑ Murphy, Jan (27 November 2020). "26 Pa. House Republicans call for withdrawing certification of presidential electors". The Patriot-News.
  14. ↑ Migdon, Brooke (September 26, 2022). "Pennsylvania lawmaker introduces bill modeled after Florida 'Don't Say Gay' law: 'Mine goes further'". The Hill. Nexstar Media Inc. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  15. ↑ "Bill Information (History) - House Bill 2813; Regular Session 2021-2022". Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  16. ↑ "Bill Information - House Bill 319; Regular Session 2023-2024". Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
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