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Mary Ruth Edwards
Mary Edwards was a 2016 Republican candidate for District 16-Position 1 of the Washington House of Representatives. She ran unsuccessfully for the same seat in 2012 and 2014.
Biography
After earning her A.A.S. from Everett Community College, Edwards went on to earn her B.S. in business from Central Washington University in 1992. She later earned her teaching certificate from Western Washington University in 2005 and her Master's in elementary education from Whitworth University in 2009.[1]
Edwards worked in administrative support and customer service from 1980 through 2005. From 1986 through 1988, she served in the United States Marine Corps as a ground radio repairman. Since 2006, she has worked as an elementary school teacher.[1]
Campaign themes
2016
Edwards' campaign website highlighted the following issues:[2]
Education
- Excerpt: "Local control of education should be brought back to our local school districts and parents."
Guns
- Excerpt: "Gun control is NOT in the Second Amendment. If we lose our right to bear arms, we lose everything."
Taxes
- Excerpt: "I've been asked if I thought it was wise to sign a pledge to not increase taxes nor impose new taxes in light of the McCleary decision (to fully fund education). My answer is 'Yes!'"
Religious liberty/rights of conscience
- Excerpt: "No one should have to choose between their livelihood and their conscience. To have to make such a choice would be the definition of tyranny. We have seen this happening in our state already. It's time to put a stop to it."
Life
- Excerpt: "I believe in the right to life for all people, from conception to natural death. The right to life is the first right enumerated in the Declaration of Independence. I have been endorsed by Human Life PAC."
2014
Edwards listed the following themes on her campaign website:[3]
- Gun control
- Excerpt: "Gun control is NOT in the Second Amendment. If we lose our right to bear arms, we lose everything. The people of the 16th district understand this. They also don't want their gun rights impaired and, as evidenced in the 2013 legislative session, loudly voiced their opinion regarding universal background checks - they don't want them!"
- Abortion
- Excerpt: "I believe in the right to life for all people, from conception to natural death."
2012
Edwards' website highlighted the following campaign themes:[4]
Defending Our Families
- Excerpt: "Homosexuals and Lesbians have a right to live as they choose; they don’t have the right to redefine marriage for all of us. In Olympia, I will work to repeal the same-sex marriage law recently passed, if not repealed via referendum at the ballot box."
Reclaim Education
- Excerpt: "Decisions as to how our children are to be educated should be made by parents and Washington State - not the federal government! I believe parents should have a choice on how their children are educated and when. Charter schools, online schools, home school, public school - there are many ways to educate our children."
Restoring Our State
- Excerpt: "The closer civil government is to the people, the more responsible, responsive, and accountable it is likely to be. I will work with other conservatives in the legislature to restore our state sovereignty, and preserve individual property rights."
Cost of Big Government
- Excerpt: " I pledge to the constituents of the 16th District that I will not procrastinate or avoid working on critical issues such as the budget. We elect representatives to take their jobs seriously, not deal with superficial issues above critical ones."
Healthcare
- Excerpt: "When I am representing you in Olympia, I will support and vote for this bill to opt out of Obamacare."
Elections
2016
Elections for the Washington House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on August 2, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was May 20, 2016. Incumbent Maureen Walsh (R) did not seek re-election.
Bill Jenkin defeated Rebecca Francik in the Washington House of Representatives, District 16-Position 1 general election.[5]
| Washington House of Representatives, District 16-Position 1 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Bill Jenkin |
62.03% | 29,812 | |
| Democratic | Rebecca Francik | 37.97% | 18,252 | |
| Total Votes | 48,064 | |||
| Source: Washington Secretary of State | ||||
Rebecca Francik and Bill Jenkin defeated Allen Pomraning, Skyler Rude and Mary Ruth Edwards in the Washington House of Representatives District 16-Position 1 top two primary.[6][7]
| Washington House of Representatives, District 16-Position 1 Top Two Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Rebecca Francik |
28.68% | 5,933 | |
| Republican | Bill Jenkin |
21.38% | 4,422 | |
| Republican | Allen Pomraning | 12.85% | 2,659 | |
| Republican | Skyler Rude | 19.37% | 4,006 | |
| Republican | Mary Ruth Edwards | 17.72% | 3,665 | |
| Total Votes | 20,685 | |||
| Source: Washington Secretary of State | ||||
2014
Elections for the Washington House of Representatives took place in 2014. A blanket primary election took place on August 5, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 17, 2014. Incumbent Maureen Walsh (R) and Mary Ruth Edwards (R) were unopposed in the primary. Walsh defeated Edwards in the general election.[8][9][10]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Maureen Walsh Incumbent |
59.1% | 19,152 | |
| Republican | Mary Ruth Edwards | 40.9% | 13,248 | |
| Total Votes | 32,400 | |||
2012
Edwards ran in the 2012 election for Washington House of Representatives, District 16-Position 1. Edwards ran unopposed in the August 7 blanket primary election and was defeated by incumbent Maureen Walsh (R) in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[11][12]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Maureen Walsh Incumbent |
58.2% | 25,503 | |
| Republican | Mary Ruth Edwards | 41.8% | 18,307 | |
| Total Votes | 43,810 | |||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Mary Ruth Edwards Washington House. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Washington House of Representatives
- Washington House of Representatives District 16
- Washington House of Representatives elections, 2016
- Washington State Legislature
External links
- Profile by Vote-USA
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Legislative profile from Project Vote Smart
- Official campaign website
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Information submitted through Ballotpedia's biographical submission form on May 26, 2014
- ↑ Vote Mary Ruth, "Issues," accessed July 13, 2016
- ↑ Vote Mary Ruth, "Issues," accessed May 26, 2014
- ↑ "votemaryruth," Official Campaign Website
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "General Election Results 2016," accessed December 2, 2016
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2016 Candidates Who Have Filed," accessed May 23, 2016
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "August 2, 2016 Primary Results," accessed August 25, 2016
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2014 Candidates Who Have Filed," accessed May 20, 2014
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "August 5, 2014, Official Primary Results," accessed August 5, 2014
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Official general election results, 2014," accessed December 2, 2014
- ↑ C-SPAN, "AP Election Results - Washington State House of Representatives," accessed August 7, 2012
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State - 2012 Primary Candidates
