Brown announced that he was running to be the Mayor of Manukau in 2006. Barry Curtis announced that he would not be running for re-election, and Brown's main opposition were former Olympic runner Dick Quax and radio host Willie Jackson. Brown resigned from Wynard Wood in 2007 to focus on his candidacy full time. In August 2007, both Quax and Brown were polling "neck and neck". Brown's campaign was based on several policies, including; capping rates at the cost of inflation, increasing public transport, and working with youth in the region.