Brooke Pinto


Brooke Pinto is an American lawyer. In June 2020, she won the special election to succeed Jack Evans on the Council of the District of Columbia, representing Ward 2. She is the youngest councilmember in the District's history.

Early life and education

Pinto is from Greenwich, Connecticut, the daughter of James Pinto, a private equity investor who heads MVC Capital. She attended Cornell University and completed a degree in Business & Hospitality Administration. She moved to Washington, DC to attend Georgetown University Law School from which she graduated in 2017.

Career

After graduating law school, Pinto worked for Washington DC Attorney General Karl Racine through a fellowship program. She helped legislation to address hate crimes and deceptive charity practices. She resigned from the office to launch her campaign for Council of the District of Columbia.

Campaign

In March 2020, Pinto announced her candidacy for Ward 2 Councilmember. Pinto was the last entrant into a crowded field that included Jack Evans, who resigned following multiple ethics violations. Pinto was the only candidate who did not take public financing, which avoided campaign finance limits faced by all other candidates and allowed outside donors to contribute thousands more to her campaign. She was the largest donor to her campaign, loaning or contributing more than $65,000, while relatives gave more than $7,000, including a $975,000 gift in kind "donation" of her campaign headquarters. The campaign had discrepancies in its financial filings and underreported expenditures.
Pinto had never previously voted in a DC election. Her platform included opposition to outside interest groups. She touted that she was the only candidate with business, tax, and legislative experience, which was needed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Karl Racine endorsed Pinto when her candidacy was announced. Pinto also garnered support from Congressmen Richard Blumenthal and Joe Kennedy III, who received thousands of dollars in donations from her father. She was also endorsed by former US Senator Tom Daschle and DC's Shadow Senator Michael Brown. The Washington Post editorial board endorsed Pinto, claiming that she would provide a "needed new start".

Election results

On June 2, Pinto won the Democratic primary by 387 votes in a field of eight candidates. The election was marred by long lines and complaints that many voters who requested ballots by mail did not receive them. Multiple candidates suspended their campaigns, leaving Pinto with few challengers in the June 16 special election. On June 17 it was announced that she won, receiving 40.06% of the vote.