25 Facts About Donna Edwards

Donna Fern Edwards was born on June 28,1958 and is an American politician who served as the US representative for from 2008 to 2017.

Donna Edwards ran for US 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.

In 2022, Donna Edwards ran for the congressional seat she previously held but lost to Glenn Ivey in the Democratic primary.

Donna Edwards worked for Albert Wynn as a clerk in the 1980s, when he served in the Maryland House of Delegates.

Donna Edwards co-founded and served as the first executive director of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, an advocacy and legal support group for battered women.

Donna Edwards worked to pass the 1994 Violence Against Women Act.

Donna Edwards later worked with Public Citizen, and then as the executive director of the Center for a New Democracy.

Donna Edwards is a national co-chair of the progressive group Health Care Voter.

Donna Edwards opposed the repeal of the estate tax, which Wynn voted for.

Similarly, Donna Edwards criticized Wynn's vote for the bankruptcy bill of 2005, which eliminated some bankruptcy protections for individuals.

In 2008, Donna Edwards again challenged Wynn for his seat in the Democratic primary.

Donna Edwards won the Democratic nomination for the June 17,2008, special election to serve out the last six months of Wynn's term.

Donna Edwards took office two days later, giving her a leg-up on seniority over any new congresspersons who were elected in 2008.

Donna 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.

Donna Edwards won against Warren Christopher in the Democratic primary, and then defeated Republican Nancy Hoyt and Libertarian Arvin Vohra with 70 percent of the vote in the general election.

Donna Edwards was supported by $720,000 from the J Street PAC, and $550,000 from the League of Conservation Voters.

Donna Edwards received 35 percent of the vote, while Ivey received 52 percent.

Donna Edwards was arrested outside the Sudan embassy during a protest against genocide in Darfur.

Donna Edwards lost the primary election on April 26,2016.

Donna Edwards received 39 percent of the vote, while Van Hollen received 53 percent.

Since she had run for the Senate seat, instead of for reelection to her Congressional seat, Donna Edwards left public office when her term expired in January 2017, and was succeeded by former lieutenant governor Anthony Brown.

Donna Edwards ran for Prince George's County Executive but lost to Angela Alsobrooks in the Democratic primary, despite benefitting from an outside group that spent nearly $1 million to support Donna Edwards and ran what The Washington Post editorial board deemed a "smear campaign".

Donna Edwards received 24 percent of the vote, while Alsobrooks received 62 percent.

Donna Edwards went on MSNBC programs to speak about how she believed the current health care bill that was up for a vote would affect her as a person with multiple sclerosis, and would affect other people with pre-existing conditions.

Donna Edwards penned an op-ed on the subject for The Washington Post.