{{short description|American politician}} {{notability|Biography|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Pat Mara |image = Marahs.jpg |office = Chair of the District of Columbia Republican Party |term_start = January 14, 2021 |term_end = |predecessor = Darlene Glymph |successor = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|3|1}} |birth_place = |death_date = |death_place = |party = Republican |education = Marist College (BS)<br>Babson College (MBA) |website = {{URL|patrickmara.com|Official website}} }} '''Patrick Mara''' is an American politician, who has served as Chair of the District of Columbia Republican Party since 2021. He previously served as an elected member of the District of Columbia Board of Education from 2010 to 2014.<ref name= election2010/><ref>{{cite news |title= D.C. State Board of Education has three new members |first= Michael Alison |last=Chandler |date= November 5, 2014 |work= The Washington Post |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/dc-state-board-of-education-has-three-new-members/2014/11/05/531b5e18-6502-11e4-836c-83bc4f26eb67_story.html }}</ref>
==Early years== Mara is originally from Rhode Island.<ref name=torun/> He earned a Bachelor of Science in political science and environmental science at Marist College.<ref name= canpat>{{cite news |title= Try and Try and Try Again|first= Alan |last= Suderman |work= Washington City Paper |date= April 3, 2013 |url= http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/looselips/2013/04/03/try-and-try-and-try-again/ }}</ref> While at Marist, Mara was student body president<ref>{{cite news |title=Mara administration takes helm with transition dinner |first=Daryl |last=Richard |work=The Circle |date=April 18, 1996 |publisher=Marist College |url=http://library.marist.edu/archives/Circle/1996/1996_4_18.pdf |archive-date=August 6, 2010 |access-date=July 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100806112658/http://library.marist.edu/archives/Circle/1996/1996_4_18.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Mara later served as President of the Marist College Alumni Executive Board and the Alumni Representative to the Marist College Board of Trustees.<ref>{{citation |title=Alumni Association Executive Board |work=Marist College |accessdate=January 20, 2011 |url=http://www.marist.edu/alumni/board.html }}</ref> He graduated with a Master of Business Administration in entrepreneurship from Babson College.<ref name= canpat/>
==Political career== Mara was a staffer for Senator John H. Chafee, working on environmental issues.<ref name= canpat/>
In 2008, Mara defeated<ref>{{citation |title=Schwartz falls to Mara |work=The Examiner |location=Washington, D.C. |first=Michael |last=Neibauer |date=September 10, 2008 |url=http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/schwartz-falls-mara }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> incumbent Carol Schwartz in the Republican primary for an at-large seat on the Council of the District of Columbia. The ''Washington Blade'' endorsed Mara, noting his support for same-sex marriage and other stands in support of civil rights.<ref name="washblade.com">[http://www.washblade.com/2008/10-31/view/columns/13533.cfm ]{{dead link|date=June 2020}}</ref> ''The Washington Post'' endorsed Mara in the Republican primary<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/02/AR2008090202444.html | work=The Washington Post | title=The D.C. Council Primary | date=2008-09-03 | accessdate=2010-05-22}}</ref> and in the General Election.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/22/AR2008102202987.html | work=The Washington Post | title=For D.C. Council | date=2008-10-23 | accessdate=2010-05-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/30/AR2008103003632.html | work=The Washington Post | title=Bucking a Tide in D.C | date=2008-10-31 | accessdate=2010-05-22}}</ref> Democrat Kwame R. Brown and independent Michael A. Brown won the general election.
In 2010, Mara won the Ward One seat on the District of Columbia State Board of Education with 53 percent of the vote.<ref>{{citation |work=DC BOEE |title=DC Board Of Elections And Ethics: Election Results |url=http://www.dcboee.org/election_info/election_results/general_election_results/2010 |accessdate=November 7, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101106010504/http://www.dcboee.org/election_info/election_results/general_election_results/2010 |archive-date=November 6, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''The Washington Post'' endorsed Mara in the election.<ref>{{citation |title=For D.C. State Board of Education |work=The Washington Post |format=editorial |date=October 25, 2010 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/24/AR2010102402494.html }}</ref>
In 2011, Mara ran in a special election for the at-large seat on the Council of the District of Columbia.<ref name=torun>{{cite news |title=Patrick Mara to run for D.C. Council at-large seat |first=Mike |last=DeBonis |work=The Washington Post |date=January 19, 2011|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/debonis/2011/01/patrick_mara_to_run_for_dc_cou.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009174204/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/debonis/2011/01/patrick_mara_to_run_for_dc_cou.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 9, 2012 }}</ref> ''The Washington Post'' endorsed Mara in the 2011 special election for At-Large D.C. Council.<ref>{{citation |title=Patrick Mara for an at-large seat on the D.C. Council |work=The Washington Post |format=editorial |date=April 12, 2011 |url=https://articles.washingtonpost.com/2011-04-12/opinions/35261845_1_council-member-charter-schools-school-reforms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730060304/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2011-04-12/opinions/35261845_1_council-member-charter-schools-school-reforms |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 30, 2013 }}</ref> Mara came in second behind Vincent Orange.<ref name= 2011s/>
Mara was a board member at DC Vote from 2011 to 2013.
Mara was a candidate in the special election for the at-large seat on the Council of the District of Columbia in 2013. He was endorsed by ''The Washington Post''.<ref name="Board">{{citation |work=Washington Post |title=Patrick Mara for D.C. Council |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/patrick-mara-for-dc-council/2013/03/21/e9beda84-8db8-11e2-9f54-f3fdd70acad2_story.html |accessdate=March 21, 2013 |author=Editorial Board |date=March 21, 2013}}</ref> New Jersey Governor Chris Christie robocalled Republicans in the District for Mara.<ref>{{cite news |title= Opening Act: Pat Mara |first= David |last= Weigel |work= Slate |date= April 24, 2013 |url= http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/04/24/opening_act_pat_mara.html }}</ref> The D.C. chapter of the Sierra Club and the District of Columbia Chamber of Commerce endorsed Mara in the special election. Democratic Councilmember Anita Bonds won the election; Mara lost with 10% of the vote.<ref name= 2013s/>
In 2014, Mara decided not to run for reelection to the District of Columbia State Board of Education.<ref>{{cite news |title= Meet the Ward 1 candidates for D.C. State Board of Education |first= Michael Alison |last= Chandler |date= October 29, 2014 |work= The Washington Post |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/local/wp/2014/10/29/meet-the-ward-1-candidates-for-d-c-state-board-of-education/ }}</ref>
In January 2015, Mara was appointed executive director of the District of Columbia Republican Committee.<ref>{{cite web |title= State GOP Leadership: District of Columbia Leadership: Patrick Mara, Executive Director |work= Republican National Committee |accessdate= September 19, 2015 |url= https://gop.com/leaders/executive-director-patrick-mara-dc |archive-date= April 16, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160416105547/https://gop.com/leaders/executive-director-patrick-mara-dc |url-status= dead }}</ref>
==Other ventures== Mara owns The Dolan Group LLC,<ref>{{cite web |title= Dolan Group, LLC (The) - Initial File Number: L42183 |work= District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs |publisher= Government of the District of Columbia |accessdate= September 19, 2015 |url= https://corp.dcra.dc.gov/BizEntity.aspx/ViewContact?bizEntityContactId=436564¤tTabConfigurationId=468 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> a business consulting firm in Washington, D.C.<ref name= election2010>{{citation |work=Washington Post |title=Election 2010: D.C. Board of Education, Ward 1 |url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/elections/2010/dc/board-member/1757/ |accessdate=November 7, 2010 |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101105204541/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/elections/2010/dc/board-member/1757 |archivedate= November 5, 2010 }}</ref>
Mara has served on the board of directors of One World Education<ref>{{citation |title=Board of Directors |work=One World Education |accessdate=January 20, 2011 |url=http://www.oneworldeducation.org/about-owed/board-of-directors }}</ref> and the Columbia Heights Day Initiative.<ref>{{citation |title=About the Annual Columbia Heights Day Festival |work=Columbia Heights Day Initiative |accessdate=January 20, 2011 |url=http://www.cohiday.org/about.html |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20120309221750/http://www.cohiday.org/about.html |archivedate= March 9, 2012 }}</ref><ref name=livechat>{{cite web |title= Live chat with Patrick Mara |first= David |last= Alpert |date= February 2, 2011 |work= Greater Greater Washington |url= http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/9076/live-chat-with-patrick-mara/ }}</ref>
Mara is a board member of College & Career Connections<ref>{{cite web |url= http://collegeandcareerconnections.org/about/leadership_board.shtml |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101002162337/http://collegeandcareerconnections.org/about/leadership_board.shtml |archivedate= October 2, 2010 |work= College & Career Connections |title= Leadership: Board of Directors }}</ref> and previously served on the board of Washington Latin Public Charter School.<ref name= latin>{{cite web |work= Washington Latin Public Charter School |accessdate= September 19, 2015 |title= Board of Governors |url= http://latinpcs.org/about/our-team/board/ |archive-date= October 6, 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151006104006/http://latinpcs.org/about/our-team/board/ |url-status= dead }}</ref>
==Election results== ===2008=== {{Election box begin no change | title = '''2008 Council of the District of Columbia, At Large, Republican Primary'''<ref name=2008p>{{cite web |title=Certified Results, Primary Election, 2008 |work= District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics |date=September 26, 2008 |url= https://www.dcboee.org/election_info/election_results/election_result_new/results_final.asp?electionid=1&prev=0&result_type=3&party=-87 }}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Patrick Mara |votes = 2,370 |percentage = 59 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Carol Schwartz |votes = 1,646 |percentage = 41 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Write-in |votes = 19 |percentage = 0 }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change | title = 2008 Council of the District of Columbia, At Large, General Election<ref name=2008g>{{cite web |title=Certified Results, Primary Election, 2008 |work=District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics |date=November 24, 2008 |url= https://www.dcboee.org/election_info/election_results/election_result_new/results_final.asp?electionid=1&prev=0&result_type=3&party=-87 }}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Kwame R. Brown |votes = 172,272 |percentage = 48 }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Independent (politician) |candidate = Michael A. Brown |votes = 71,720 |percentage = 20 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Patrick Mara |votes = 37,447 |percentage = 10 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = D.C. Statehood Green Party |candidate = David Schwartzman |votes = 18,596 |percentage = 5 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Independent (politician) |candidate = Mark H. Long |votes = 14,603 |percentage = 4 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Independent (politician) |candidate = Dee Hunter |votes = 7,311 |percentage = 2 }} {{Election box candidate no change |party = |candidate = Write-in ''(including Carol Schwartz)'' |votes = 39,493 |percentage = 11 }} {{Election box end}}
===2010=== {{Election box begin no change | title = 2010 State Board of Education, Ward One, General Election<ref name=2010g>{{cite web |title=Certified Results, General Election, 2010 |work=District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics |date=November 19, 2010 |url=https://www.dcboee.org/election_info/election_results/general_election_results/2010 |access-date=September 18, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123024236/https://www.dcboee.org/election_info/election_results/general_election_results/2010 |archive-date=November 23, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Non-partisan |candidate = Patrick Mara |votes = 6,731 |percentage = 53 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Non-partisan |candidate = Dotti Love Wade |votes = 5,856 |percentage = 46 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Non-partisan |candidate = Write-in |votes = 150 |percentage = 1 }} {{Election box end}}
===2011=== {{Election box begin no change | title = 2011 Council of the District of Columbia, At Large, Special Election<ref name=2011s>{{cite web |title=Certified Results, Special Election, 2011 |work=District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics |date=April 26, 2011 |url=https://www.dcboee.org/election_info/election_results/2011/April-26-Special-Election/ |access-date=September 18, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624072536/https://www.dcboee.org/election_info/election_results/2011/April-26-Special-Election/ |archive-date=June 24, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= April 26, 2011 Special Election Voter Guide |work= District of Columbia Board of Elections |date= April 13, 2011 |url= https://www.dcboee.org/popup.asp?url=/pdf_files/nr_963.pdf }}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Vincent Orange |votes = 13,583 |percentage = 29 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Patrick Mara |votes = 11,851 |percentage = 25 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Sekou Biddle |votes = 9,373 |percentage = 20 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Bryan Weaver |votes = 6,069 |percentage = 13 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Joshua Lopez |votes = 3,343 |percentage = 7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Tom Brown |votes = 1,036 |percentage = 2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Dorothy Douglas |votes = 787 |percentage = 2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = D.C. Statehood Green Party |candidate = Alan Page |votes = 610 |percentage = 1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Independent (politician) |candidate = Arkan Haile |votes = 137 |percentage = 0 }} {{Election box candidate no change |party = |candidate = Write-in |votes = 178 |percentage = 0 }} {{Election box end}}
===2013=== {{Election box begin no change | title = 2013 Council of the District of Columbia, At Large, Special Election<ref name=2013s>{{cite web |title=Certified Results, Special Election, 2013 |work=District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics |date=May 10, 2013 |url=https://www.dcboee.org/election_info/election_results/2013/April-23-Special-Election |access-date=September 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121151738/https://www.dcboee.org/election_info/election_results/2013/April-23-Special-Election |archive-date=January 21, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Anita Bonds |votes = 18,027 |percentage = 31 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Elissa Silverman |votes = 15,228 |percentage = 27 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Patrick Mara |votes = 13,698 |percentage = 24 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Matthew Frumin |votes = 6,307 |percentage = 11 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Paul Zuckerberg |votes = 1,195 |percentage = 2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Michael A. Brown |votes = 1,100 |percentage = 2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = D.C. Statehood Green Party |candidate = Perry Redd |votes = 1,090 |percentage = 2 }} {{Election box candidate no change |party = |candidate = Write-in |votes = 187 |percentage = 0 }} {{Election box end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Darlene Glymph}} {{s-ttl|title=Chair of the District of Columbia Republican Party|years=2021–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}
{{Republican State Chairs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mara, Patrick}} Category:Babson College alumni Category:Living people Category:Marist University alumni Category:Members of the District of Columbia Board of Education Category:People from Rhode Island Category:Washington, D.C., Republicans Category:1975 births