[5] He was challenged in the Democratic primary by Steve March, 49, a senior management auditor for Multnomah County and part-time college teacher, and Harry D. Ainsworth, 32, a lawyer.
[8] As a freshman legislator, Edwards introduced a 1997 bill empowering local governments to double traffic fines in school zones, and preventing judges from reducing the penalties.
[10] Edwards regained the confidence of pro-education activists when he cast the sole dissenting vote in a 7-to-1 Revenue Committee decision to add U.S.$67 million in additional tax cuts to Measure 50, in an election for which ballots had already gone out.
The committee action was taken under threat by anti-tax activist Bill Sizemore to withdraw his support from Measure 50, which already granted $804 million in tax relief.
[11] By the end of his first legislative session, despite being a newcomer and member of the minority party, he had gained a reputation as an effective pro-education politician and was described as a "virtual education bill machine."
Bills carried over or already announced included measures relating to charter schools, discipline, accountability for performance and class size, and spending on education.
With Representative Jim Hill, (Republican-Hillsboro), Randall introduced a bill to require the Oregon Board of Medical Examiners to make a broad range of information about the state's physicians available online.
[18] He also joined a bipartisan coalition of 17 Democrats and 11 Republicans in sponsoring a ballot referendum that would require a three-fifths majority vote to pass constitutional amendments by initiative.
[19] The second-term legislator also sought to defuse a particularly controversial "defense of marriage" constitutional amendment then under consideration by offering an alternative measure which removed language overturning an earlier court decision granting spousal benefits to same-sex partners of state employees.
Edwards' colleagues in the Democratic party considered him a clear favorite in the primary campaign, challenged only by Gary Bruebaker, a Deputy Treasurer with no prior political experience.
[21][22][23][24] John Kvistad, a small-business owner from Tigard who had been elected to three terms on the Metro governing council, was nominated as Edwards' Republican opponent.
During the general election campaign Edwards emphasized his financial and legislative experience, stressing the importance of the State Treasurer's role in funding education.
Kvistad countered by pointing out Edwards' lack of experience outside of the public sector, and reminding voters of his own management background in both business and government.
[28][29] In a ceremony at the Gus Solomon Federal Courthouse in downtown Portland on January 1, 2001, Edwards, 39, was sworn in as the youngest Oregon State Treasurer in at least fifty years.
[32] After the 2004 Democratic primary in which Edwards was unopposed, he won reelection to a second term over his three general election challengers: Republican Jeff Caton, Constitution Party nominee Carole D. Weingarden, and Libertarian Mitch Shults.