Donna Edwards
Encyclopedia
Donna F. Edwards is the U.S. Representative
for , serving since a special election in 2008. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes most of Prince George's County, as well as part of Montgomery County
.
A lawyer and long time community activist, she defeated 15-year incumbent Albert Wynn
in the 2008 Democratic primary
, and, following his resignation, won a special election on June 17, 2008 to fill the remainder of this term. She was officially sworn in two days later on June 19, becoming the first African American
woman to represent Maryland in the United States Congress. Edwards ran for a full term in November 2008, defeating Republican candidate Peter James with 85% of the vote.
She is working to help pass an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would effect a repeal of the 2010 Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
.
, where she was one of only six black
women in her class. After working for Lockheed Corporation
at the Goddard Space Flight Center
with the Spacelab
program, she attended and earned a law degree from Franklin Pierce Law Center
in New Hampshire
. Edwards worked for Albert Wynn as a clerk in the 1980s, when he served in the Maryland House of Delegates
.
, an advocacy and legal support group for battered women
. She worked to pass the 1994 Violence Against Women Act
.
She later worked with Public Citizen
, and then as the executive director of the Center for a New Democracy. In 2000 she became the executive director of the Arca Foundation, taking a leave of absence during her political campaign.
embassy during a protest against genocide in Darfur
. The Representative and five other US Congressional Representatives were protesting the blocking of aid to victims. They were arrested after ignoring warnings issued by police maintaining a police line to protect the embassy in Washington D.C.
The other U.S. lawmakers arrested during the protest were Reps. Jim McGovern
(D-Massachusetts), Keith Ellison
(D-Minnesota), Rep. John Lewis (D-Georgia), Rep. Jim Moran
(D-VA), and Lynn Woolsey
(D-California).
, which Wynn voted for. Similarly, Edwards criticized Wynn's vote for the bankruptcy bill of 2005
, which eliminated some bankruptcy protections for individuals. Wynn supported the energy bill promoted by Vice President and former Halliburton CEO Dick Cheney. Wynn opposed the net neutrality bill of 2006, which Edwards supports.
On August 16, 2006, before a debate at Prince George's Community College
, an altercation occurred between Wynn's staffers and an Edwards volunteer, leaving the volunteer with a bloody gash to the head. This event brought much media attention to the race.
On August 30, 2006, the Washington Post endorsed Edwards in the primary race.
The primary was held on September 12, 2006. Wynn defeated Edwards by 49.7 percent to 46.4 percent, with a margin of 2,725 votes out of more than 82,000 cast. George McDermott, a little-known candidate, took 3.9 percent. The final tally of the primary was unclear for nearly two weeks because of widespread voting problems on new electronic voting machines in Montgomery and Prince George's counties.
In 2008, Edwards again challenged Wynn for his seat in the Democratic primary
. During the 2008 campaign, Edwards accused Wynn of being out of touch with the community and of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars of corporate money. Wynn counter-attacked Edwards as hypocritical, citing the fact that she served as executive director of the Arca Foundation, an organization that has invested millions of dollars in oil and gas companies.
In the February 12, 2008, primary, Edwards defeated the eight-term incumbent in a rout, taking 60% of the vote to Wynn's 35%. The win virtually assured her of victory in the heavily Democratic district in November.
After the primary, Wynn announced he would retire effective June 2008. Edwards won the Democratic nomination for the June 17, 2008, special election
to serve out the last six months of Wynn's term.
Edwards won the backing of the Montgomery County, Maryland
, Democratic Party Central Committee April 22, 2008, by a 22 to 1 margin. Two days later, the Prince George's County Democratic Party Central Committee also recommended Edwards, this by a 17 to 0 vote on April 24, 2008.
As expected, Edwards easily won the special election, taking 81 percent of the vote over Republican
Peter James and Libertarian Thibeaux Lincecum. She took office two days later, giving her a leg up on seniority over any new congresspersons who were elected in 2008.
Edwards ran for a full term in November 2008 and was an overwhelming favorite; a Republican has never tallied more than 25 percent of the vote in the 4th district since it assumed its current configuration after the 1990 Census. Indeed, many of the 4th district's residents already thought of her as the district's congresswoman even before the special election. As expected, Edwards easily won a full term with 85 percent of the vote, one of the highest percentages in the nation for a Democrat facing major-party opposition.
in the September, 2010, primary.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for , serving since a special election in 2008. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes most of Prince George's County, as well as part of Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
.
A lawyer and long time community activist, she defeated 15-year incumbent Albert Wynn
Albert Wynn
Albert Russell "Al" Wynn is a former Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented the 4th district of Maryland from 1993 to 2008...
in the 2008 Democratic primary
United States House of Representatives elections in Maryland, 2008
The 2008 congressional elections in Maryland were held on November 4, 2008 to determine who would represent the state of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives, coinciding with the presidential election...
, and, following his resignation, won a special election on June 17, 2008 to fill the remainder of this term. She was officially sworn in two days later on June 19, becoming the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
woman to represent Maryland in the United States Congress. Edwards ran for a full term in November 2008, defeating Republican candidate Peter James with 85% of the vote.
She is working to help pass an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would effect a repeal of the 2010 Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, , was a landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court holding that the First Amendment prohibits government from censoring political broadcasts in candidate elections when those broadcasts are funded by corporations or unions...
.
Early life, education and career
Edwards earned her first degree from Wake Forest UniversityWake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
, where she was one of only six black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
women in her class. After working for Lockheed Corporation
Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...
at the Goddard Space Flight Center
Goddard Space Flight Center
The Goddard Space Flight Center is a major NASA space research laboratory established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight center. GSFC employs approximately 10,000 civil servants and contractors, and is located approximately northeast of Washington, D.C. in Greenbelt, Maryland, USA. GSFC,...
with the Spacelab
Spacelab
Spacelab was a reusable laboratory used on certain spaceflights flown by the Space Shuttle. The laboratory consisted of multiple components, including a pressurized module, an unpressurized carrier and other related hardware housed in the Shuttle's cargo bay...
program, she attended and earned a law degree from Franklin Pierce Law Center
Franklin Pierce Law Center
The University of New Hampshire School of Law, formerly the Franklin Pierce Law Center, is an American Bar Association-accredited law school located in Concord, New Hampshire. It is the only law school in the state. It was founded in 1973 by Robert H...
in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. Edwards worked for Albert Wynn as a clerk in the 1980s, when he served in the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
.
Community activism
Edwards co-founded and served as the first executive director of the National Network to End Domestic ViolenceNational Network to End Domestic Violence
The National Network to End Domestic Violence is a not-for-profit organization incorporated in the District of Columbia since 1995. It is a network of state domestic violence coalitions, representing over 2,000 member organizations nationwide...
, an advocacy and legal support group for battered women
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
. She worked to pass the 1994 Violence Against Women Act
Violence Against Women Act
The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 is a United States federal law. It was passed as Title IV, sec. 40001-40703 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, , and signed as by President Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994...
.
She later worked with Public Citizen
Public Citizen
Public Citizen is a non-profit, consumer rights advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., United States, with a branch in Austin, Texas. Public Citizen was founded by Ralph Nader in 1971, headed for 26 years by Joan Claybrook, and is now headed by Robert Weissman.-Lobbying Efforts:Public Citizen...
, and then as the executive director of the Center for a New Democracy. In 2000 she became the executive director of the Arca Foundation, taking a leave of absence during her political campaign.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Ethics
- Committee on Science, Space and Technology
- Subcommittee on Space and AeronauticsUnited States House Science Subcommittee on Space and AeronauticsThe Science Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics is one of five subcommittees of the United States House Committee on Science and Technology.- Jurisdiction :...
- Subcommittee on Investigations and OversightUnited States House Science Subcommittee on Investigations and OversightThe Science Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight is one of five subcommittees of the United States House Committee on Science and Technology...
(Ranking Member)
- Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics
- Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureUnited States House Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureThe U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. John Mica currently chairs the committee.-History:...
- Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management
- Subcommittee on Highways and TransitUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and TransitThe House Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and Transit is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The subcommittee oversees highway, transit, and highway safety programs in the United States, as well as policy governing how highway and transit projects...
- Subcommittee on Water Resources and EnvironmentUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Water Resources and EnvironmentThe Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The subcommittee has jurisdiction over water conservation, pollution control, infrastructure, and hazardous waste cleanup, the civil works programs of the U.S. Army...
Arrest during Darfur protest in Washington D.C.
Rep. Donna Edwards was arrested April 27, 2009 outside the SudanSudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
embassy during a protest against genocide in Darfur
War in Darfur
The Darfur Conflict was a guerrilla conflict or civil war centered on the Darfur region of Sudan. It began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army and Justice and Equality Movement groups in Darfur took up arms, accusing the Sudanese government of oppressing non-Arab Sudanese in...
. The Representative and five other US Congressional Representatives were protesting the blocking of aid to victims. They were arrested after ignoring warnings issued by police maintaining a police line to protect the embassy in Washington D.C.
The other U.S. lawmakers arrested during the protest were Reps. Jim McGovern
Jim McGovern
James Patrick "Jim" McGovern is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
(D-Massachusetts), Keith Ellison
Keith Ellison (politician)
Keith Maurice Ellison is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. The district centers on Minneapolis. He was re-elected in 2010. Ellison is a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.He is the first Muslim to be elected to the...
(D-Minnesota), Rep. John Lewis (D-Georgia), Rep. Jim Moran
Jim Moran
James Patrick "Jim" Moran, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is located in Northern Virginia and includes the cities of Falls Church and Alexandria, all of Arlington County, and a portion of Fairfax County.Jim Moran was...
(D-VA), and Lynn Woolsey
Lynn Woolsey
Lynn C. Woolsey is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes all of Marin County and most of Sonoma County. She is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and its co-chair...
(D-California).
2006
Edwards challenged seven-term incumbent Al Wynn in the 2006 Democratic primary - the real contest in this heavily Democratic, black-majority district. Edwards focused primarily on Wynn's voting record. Wynn, considered a conservative by African-American Democratic standards, was one of four Congressional Black Caucus members that voted for the 2002 Iraq War resolution. Edwards condemned the war before it started. Wynn eventually began to say he was misled by the Bush Administration and his vote was a mistake. Edwards opposed the repeal of the estate taxEconomic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001
The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 , was a sweeping piece of tax legislation in the United States by President George W. Bush...
, which Wynn voted for. Similarly, Edwards criticized Wynn's vote for the bankruptcy bill of 2005
Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act
The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 , is a legislative act that made several significant changes to the United States Bankruptcy Code...
, which eliminated some bankruptcy protections for individuals. Wynn supported the energy bill promoted by Vice President and former Halliburton CEO Dick Cheney. Wynn opposed the net neutrality bill of 2006, which Edwards supports.
On August 16, 2006, before a debate at Prince George's Community College
Prince George's Community College
Prince George's Community College is a community college located in the unincorporated community of Largo in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States...
, an altercation occurred between Wynn's staffers and an Edwards volunteer, leaving the volunteer with a bloody gash to the head. This event brought much media attention to the race.
On August 30, 2006, the Washington Post endorsed Edwards in the primary race.
The primary was held on September 12, 2006. Wynn defeated Edwards by 49.7 percent to 46.4 percent, with a margin of 2,725 votes out of more than 82,000 cast. George McDermott, a little-known candidate, took 3.9 percent. The final tally of the primary was unclear for nearly two weeks because of widespread voting problems on new electronic voting machines in Montgomery and Prince George's counties.
2008
United States House of Representatives elections in Maryland, 2008
The 2008 congressional elections in Maryland were held on November 4, 2008 to determine who would represent the state of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives, coinciding with the presidential election...
. During the 2008 campaign, Edwards accused Wynn of being out of touch with the community and of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars of corporate money. Wynn counter-attacked Edwards as hypocritical, citing the fact that she served as executive director of the Arca Foundation, an organization that has invested millions of dollars in oil and gas companies.
After the primary, Wynn announced he would retire effective June 2008. Edwards won the Democratic nomination for the June 17, 2008, special election
Maryland's 4th congressional district special election, 2008
Maryland's 4th congressional district special election of 2008 took place on June 17, 2008 to fill the seat in the United States House of Representatives left vacant by the resignation of Maryland congressman Albert Wynn...
to serve out the last six months of Wynn's term.
Edwards won the backing of the Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
, Democratic Party Central Committee April 22, 2008, by a 22 to 1 margin. Two days later, the Prince George's County Democratic Party Central Committee also recommended Edwards, this by a 17 to 0 vote on April 24, 2008.
As expected, Edwards easily won the special election, taking 81 percent of the vote over Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Peter James and Libertarian Thibeaux Lincecum. She took office two days later, giving her a leg up on seniority over any new congresspersons who were elected in 2008.
Edwards ran for a full term in November 2008 and was an overwhelming favorite; a Republican has never tallied more than 25 percent of the vote in the 4th district since it assumed its current configuration after the 1990 Census. Indeed, many of the 4th district's residents already thought of her as the district's congresswoman even before the special election. As expected, Edwards easily won a full term with 85 percent of the vote, one of the highest percentages in the nation for a Democrat facing major-party opposition.
2010
Edwards won against Delegate Herman L. Taylor, Jr.Herman L. Taylor, Jr.
Herman L. Taylor, Jr. is an American politician who served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 2003-2011 in Maryland's 14th Legislative District...
in the September, 2010, primary.
External links
- Congresswoman Donna Edwards official U.S. House site
- Edwards for Congress official campaign site
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
- Congresswoman Edwards on The Young Turks Show, June 2009