In 1961, at age 29, Brown made his first bid for public office as a candidate for the New Jersey General Assembly.
He faced Republicans Harry Randall Jr., Marion West Higgins, Carmine Savino Jr., Nelson G. Gross, Joseph C. Woodcock Jr., F. Walton Wanner, and Peter Moraites.
Brown ran with Democrats Richard A. Kohler, Emil Starr, M. J. DiMaria, Marc Joseph, Arthur L. McHale, and Carmen Rusignola.
[1] Brown made a second bid for the Legislature in 1965, a more favorable year for Democrats with popular Governor Richard J. Hughes heading the ticket.
He ran with six other Democrats: Vito Albanese, Lee M. Carlton, Robert E. Hamer, Jerome L. Yesko, John Skevin, and Stephen J. Moses.