Brendan F. Boyle
Encyclopedia
Brendan F. Boyle is a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He is the state Representative from Pennsylvania House District 170, which covers parts of Northeast Philadelphia and Montgomery County
.
The son of an Irish immigrant, Boyle was born and raised in the city of Philadelphia. He attended parochial schools in the city before receiving an academic scholarship to the University of Notre Dame
. Boyle graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in Government. Boyle later attended graduate school at Harvard University
's John F. Kennedy School of Government
. He earned a master's degree from Harvard in public policy.
On November 4, 2008, Boyle defeated Republican Matthew Taubenberger, son of 2007 mayoral candidate
Al Taubenberger
, by a margin of 15,442 (59.2%) to 10,632 (40.8%) to win the election. He became the first Democrat ever elected to represent the 170th House district.
On November 2, 2010, Boyle won re-election despite a national Republican wave. Boyle defeated Republican Marc Collazzo by a margin of 64% to 36%. On the same night, his brother, Kevin, was also elected to a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Kevin defeated former Speaker of the House John M. Perzel. Brendan and Kevin Boyle made history as the first brothers to ever serve together in the Pennsylvania House.
In August 2008, Brendan Boyle was named "one of top 10 rising stars" in politics by the Philadelphia Daily News. Kevin Boyle also made the Top 10 list.
In office, Boyle has championed the creation of a statewide, merit-based scholarship program called the REACH Scholarship, which would grant a full scholarship to any student with at least a 3.0 GPA and 90% school attendance. The scholarship is based on the current HOPE Scholarship
which was founded in Georgia
. Similar programs exist in South Carolina
, Hawaii
, New Mexico
, Florida
and West Virginia
. Boyle has also advocated for criminal justice reforms to make it more difficult for repeat violent offenders to receive parole.
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
.
The son of an Irish immigrant, Boyle was born and raised in the city of Philadelphia. He attended parochial schools in the city before receiving an academic scholarship to the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. Boyle graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in Government. Boyle later attended graduate school at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
's John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
. He earned a master's degree from Harvard in public policy.
On November 4, 2008, Boyle defeated Republican Matthew Taubenberger, son of 2007 mayoral candidate
Philadelphia mayoral election, 2007
The 2007 Philadelphia mayoral election was held on November 6, 2007 when Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States elected Michael Nutter as the Mayor of Philadelphia starting in 2008. The incumbent mayor, John F. Street was barred from seeking a third term because of term limits...
Al Taubenberger
Al Taubenberger
Alfred Wilhelm "Al" Taubenberger is the president of the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and president of the Burholme Civic Association and Town Watch. He is also a Republican politician from Northeast Philadelphia. He has run for office three times, losing each time...
, by a margin of 15,442 (59.2%) to 10,632 (40.8%) to win the election. He became the first Democrat ever elected to represent the 170th House district.
On November 2, 2010, Boyle won re-election despite a national Republican wave. Boyle defeated Republican Marc Collazzo by a margin of 64% to 36%. On the same night, his brother, Kevin, was also elected to a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Kevin defeated former Speaker of the House John M. Perzel. Brendan and Kevin Boyle made history as the first brothers to ever serve together in the Pennsylvania House.
In August 2008, Brendan Boyle was named "one of top 10 rising stars" in politics by the Philadelphia Daily News. Kevin Boyle also made the Top 10 list.
In office, Boyle has championed the creation of a statewide, merit-based scholarship program called the REACH Scholarship, which would grant a full scholarship to any student with at least a 3.0 GPA and 90% school attendance. The scholarship is based on the current HOPE Scholarship
HOPE Scholarship
The HOPE Scholarship Program created in 1993 under the supervision of Georgia Governor Zell Miller, is a merit-based higher education scholarship that is funded entirely by revenue from the Georgia Lottery and is administered by the Georgia Student Finance Commission...
which was founded in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. Similar programs exist in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. Boyle has also advocated for criminal justice reforms to make it more difficult for repeat violent offenders to receive parole.