Donna Edwards

This article is about the former U.S. Congresswoman from Maryland. For the actress, see Donna Edwards (actress).

Donna Edwards
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Maryland's 4th district
In office
June 17, 2008 – January 3, 2017
Preceded byAlbert Wynn
Succeeded byAnthony Brown
Personal details
Born
Donna Fern Edwards

(1958-06-28) June 28, 1958 (age 66)
Yanceyville, North Carolina, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Residence(s)Oxon Hill, Maryland, U.S.
EducationWake Forest University (BA)
University of New Hampshire (JD)

Donna Fern Edwards[1] (born June 28, 1958) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Maryland's 4th congressional district from 2008 to 2017. The district included most of Prince George's County, as well as part of Anne Arundel County. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

A lawyer and longtime community activist, she defeated eight-term incumbent Albert Wynn in the 2008 Democratic primary[2] and, following his resignation, won a special election on June 17, 2008, to fill the remainder of this term.[3] She was sworn in two days later on June 19, becoming the first African-American woman to represent Maryland in the United States Congress.[4] Edwards ran for a full term in November 2008, defeating Republican candidate Peter James with 85% of the vote.[5] She ran for U.S. Senate in 2016 in the primary to replace retiring Barbara Mikulski instead of running for re-election to her Congressional seat but was defeated by Congressman Chris Van Hollen in the Democratic primary.[6] In 2022, Edwards ran for the congressional seat she previously held but lost to Glenn Ivey in the Democratic primary.[7]

In 2013, she sponsored an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would repeal the 2010 Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.[8]

  1. ^ "Wake Forest University Commencement Programs". North Carolina Yearbooks: 7. May 18, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  2. ^ Helderman, Rosalin S; Wan, William (February 13, 2008). "Md. Challenger Edwards Wins Stunning Victory Over Long-Time Incumbent Wynn". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 13, 2008.
  3. ^ Rosalind S. Helderman and James Hohmann (June 17, 2008). "Edwards Wins Congressional Seat". The Washington Post. p. B1. Retrieved June 18, 2008.
  4. ^ Teitelbaum, Michael (June 19, 2008). "Maryland's Edwards Fills House". Congressional Quarterly. Archived from the original on June 19, 2008. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
  5. ^ "2008 Elections for President, Congress, and Governor". The Washington Post. November 6, 2008. Archived from the original on May 4, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2008.
  6. ^ Weiner, Rachel (April 27, 2016). "Van Hollen defeats Edwards in heated Maryland primary for U.S. Senate". The Washington Post.
  7. ^ "Official 2022 Election Results". elections.maryland.gov. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  8. ^ "Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to clarify the authority of Congress and the States to regulate the expenditure of funds for political activity by corporations. H.J.Res.25" (PDF). Library of Congress. February 6, 2013.