Stephanie Borowicz

Stephanie Borowicz 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.[2]

Stephanie Borowicz
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
from the 76th district
Assumed office
January 1, 2019
Preceded byMike Hanna
Personal details
Born1977/1978 (age 42–43)[1]
Political partyRepublican
Alma materVanguard University
OccupationPolitician

Early life and education

Borowicz was raised in Orlando, Florida[3] and graduated from Altamonte Christian School in 1995. She received a BA in Liberal Studies with a minor in Bible Studies from Vanguard University in 1999.[4] She worked as an elementary school teacher and as president of a non-profit organization.[2] She moved to Clinton County, Pennsylvania in 2009.[3]

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.[5]

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.[6] Johnson-Harrel criticized the invocation as "weaponized prayer" and as an example of Islamophobia.[7] 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."[8]

In May of 2019, Borowicz was photographed posing for a selfie with a man in a shirt with the name and logo of the American Guard, a group known for its ties to white supremacists, at a pro-gun rally in Harrisburg, PA.[9]

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"[10] and days later amid the crisis called for a state day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer.[11]

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.[12]

Personal life

Her husband is an associate pastor and together they have three sons.[3]

References
  1. "Race of the 76th: Q&A with Mike and Stephanie". www.lockhaven.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  2. "Ready to Lead: Borowicz Takes Oath as First-Ever Woman State Representative in 76th Legislative District". pahousegop.com. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  3. Olson, Tyler. "76th District Voters Choosing New Representative For First Time In Nearly 30 Years". www.radio.wpsu.org. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  4. "Pennsylvania House of Representatives - Stephanie Borowicz". www.legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  5. Mahon, Ed. "Who is Stephanie Borowicz, the Pa. lawmaker accused of giving a 'weaponizing prayer'?". www.pennlive.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  6. "First female Muslim member of Pennsylvania House offended by GOP member's prayer before swearing-in". CBS News. March 27, 2019.
  7. Keneally, Meghan. "Islamophobia: Critics decry Christian prayer at swearing-in of Muslim lawmaker". www.abnews.go.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  8. Starnes, Todd. "Lawmaker Refuses to Apologize For Praying in Name of Jesus". www.toddstarnes.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  9. Navratil, Liz, and Angela Couloumbis. “Pa. Lawmaker Poses for Photo with Man in Group with White Supremacist Ties.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 8, 2019. https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2019/05/08/stephanie-borowicz-photo-american-guard-pa-republican-rep-clinton-county-house-prayer/stories/201905080111.
  10. "Coronavirus is punishment from God". www.pennlive.com. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  11. "State Rep proposes controversial 'Day of Humiliation' in PA amid coronavirus pandemic". www.wsjactv.com. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  12. Murphy, Jan (27 November 2020). "26 Pa. House Republicans call for withdrawing certification of presidential electors". The Patriot-News.


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