Edwards Announces Re-Election Bid

FAYETTEVILLE — Washington County Judge Marilyn Edwards wants a fourth term.

Edwards announced her bid for re-election Friday. Edwards has stuck with her tradition of announcing early, this time 18 months before the 2014 general election.

“I have always announce early because I feel that you owe that to the people you work for for so many years,” she said.

Edwards, a Democrat, brings almost 40 years of elected public office to the campaign. First elected as county clerk in 1976, she served in that role for 26 years, then followed that with another six years as state representative for District 88 in Fayetteville.

Edwards was elected county judge in 2008 to replace the retiring Jerry Hunton. She defeated Republican Earvel Fraley with 57 percent of the vote. She ran uncontested in 2010 and 2012.

Whether Edwards would retire after serving this term had become a topic of speculation in county politics. “The announcement probably comes as a surprise to many people, but during the past several weeks, I have received an enormous amount of encouragement from Democratic and Republic friends alike to stay in office for the good of the county,” Edwards said.

The county has built an animal shelter, courthouse parking deck, renovated the Historic Courthouse, and completed the final phase of a water project bringing service to hundreds of residents in the southeast areas of the county.

“I have several road improvements planned that will take us into 2015,” she said. “Also I am committed to see that our older bridges are improved or replaced for the safety of our citizens.”

Candidates can file for public office Feb. 24 through March 3, said Alex Reed, spokesman for the state Secretary of State’s Office.

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