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.

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.

[11] 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.

Edwards' press release outlines numerous advantages to prisoner education, including net benefits to taxpayers who bear the costs of recidivism.

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.

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.

[20] As expected, Edwards easily won the special election, taking 81 percent of the vote over Republican Peter James and Libertarian Thibeaux Lincecum.

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.

[3] 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.

[5] Edwards won against Delegate Herman L. Taylor Jr. in the September 2010 primary, and then defeated Republican Robert Broadus with 83 percent of the vote in the general election.

Edwards won against George McDermott and Ian Garner in the Democratic primary, and then defeated Republican Faith M. Loudon and Libertarian Scott Soffen with 77 percent of the vote in the general election.

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.

[23] United Democracy Project, a super PAC associated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, ran nearly $6 million worth of advertising attacking Edwards during the primary election cycle.

Her successful opponent, former Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn Ivey, also received almost half of his campaign contributions from donors associated with AIPAC.

[31] Edwards and Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) faced off in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat to be vacated by Barbara Mikulski's (D) retirement.