Former Maryland rep announces bid for old House seat

Former Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) on Thursday launched a campaign for her old House seat, angling her bid as an opportunity to give Maryland’s 4th Congressional District a larger say in Washington.

Edwards represented Maryland’s 4th District for five terms before waging an unsuccessful bid for Senate in 2016, losing in the Democratic primary race to then-Rep. Chris Van Hollen.

Now, however, the frequent political pundit appears to be making a comeback, looking to replace Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.) as he vacates his seat to run for Maryland attorney general.

In a video announcing her candidacy, Edwards said she is running to give her district a stronger perch in Washington, emphasizing her experience serving in national politics.

“COVID hit and it hit our counties the hardest, and that’s on top of the huge inequities we already face because our voices have not been heard. Our stories have not been told, our children have not been a priority, and our families and workers have been left behind. And that’s why I’m running for Congress,” Edwards said.

“The fact is, our congressional district no longer gets our fair share from Washington. We’ve got to fix that, and I will. And I’ll go back with more seniority than most of the people in that building. That means clout to make sure our district has not just a seat at the table, but a seat at the front of the table where the decisions are made,” she added.

A number of candidates are already vying to succeed Brown in the 4th District, a seat that represents parts of Maryland’s Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties.

State Del. Jazz Lewis, former Prince George’s County State Attorney Glenn Ivey and former state Del. Angela Angel are all seeking the Democratic nomination.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) endorsed Lewis in November. Ivey ran for the Democratic nomination to represent the 4th District in 2016, but ultimately lost to Brown.

Republican Jeff Warner is seeking Brown’s seat from the other side of the aisle, according to The Washington Post.

In her announcement video, Edwards said she is running to establish a new FBI headquarters in her district and “deliver on things that really matter,” pointing to “Medicare for All,” living wages, environmental justice for communities dealing with pollution and criminal justice reform, in addition to “securing our democracy and the voting rights of every single one of us.”

She also said her campaign will “make the wealthy finally pay their fair share so we can start bringing down the cost of living for our families.”

“We’ve got a lot of work to do to get our country out of this pandemic and back on track,” she added.

Edwards, in her announcement video, reflected on traveling the country for three months in a borrowed RV she named “Lucille.” The former congresswoman said she traveled 12,000 miles and “talked with people who’d probably never had a conversation with a Black woman before.”

She said some of her conversations focused on drug prices. Edwards revealed in 2017 that she has multiple sclerosis. In 2018, she ran an unsuccessful campaign for Prince George’s County executive, losing in the Democratic primary.