Ed Brown wins Upper Darby’s Democratic mayoral primary, will face Republican Brian Burke in general

Democrat Ed Brown will face off against Republican Brian Burke in the general election in November.

Ed Brown poses for a photo while sitting in a chair

Ed Brown won Upper Darby’s mayoral election. (Kenny Cooper/WHYY)

Ed Brown has defeated Laura Wentz in the Democratic primary in Upper Darby’s mayoral race.

Council President Brian Burke ran unopposed in the Republican primary. Brown and Burke will now face off in November to become the next mayor of Upper Darby.

Brown, 55, received the unanimous endorsement from the Upper Darby Democratic Committee over Wentz, the current vice president of the township council.

During his campaign, Brown touted a five-point plan to put the township on sound footing for the future, which included investing in the business sector, providing quality municipal services, and providing affordable housing.

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Brown is the president of the Upper Darby School District Board of Directors and works in cybersecurity engineering.

Burke, 57, has served as a council member since 2019. Originally elected as a Democrat, Burke switched parties in 2022 following a dispute with Mayor Barbarann Keffer’s administration and local party leaders over the handling of the township’s allotment of American Rescue Plan Act funding.

His campaign has put a spotlight on tax reform, public safety, and the improvement of public parks.

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