Randall Edwards

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. The final tally was Edwards, 889,974; Caton, 688,551; Shults, 52,819; and Weingarden, 49,875.

By 2003, two years into his first term, as what the state's chief economist Tom Potiowsky described as a "jobless recovery" continued to drag on, Edwards was coping with announcements of staggering state budget shortfalls, forcing the legislature to make deep cuts in services, and increase both taxes and borrowing.

In a ceremony at the Gus Solomon Federal Courthouse in downtown Portland on January 1, 2001, Edwards, at age 39, was sworn in as the youngest State Treasurer to take office in Oregon in at least fifty years. The record of his predecessor in the office would be difficult to meet, let alone exceed. During Hill's two terms in office, the treasury's investments had increased in value by nearly 150 percent, and debt had been decreased 25 percent. But change was on the horizon, and not for the better. Edwards faced a host of difficult issues, including an economic slowdown well underway in the state, the potential downgrade of the state's credit rating, and serious reductions in federal contributions to the state's revenues.

In 2000, he got his chance, when Hill was prevented by law from running for a third term, and announced his candidacy for governor. Edwards' colleagues in the Democratic party considered Edwards a clear favorite in the primary campaign, challenged only by Gary Bruebaker, a Deputy Treasurer with no prior political experience. It turned out, however, to be a race that went down to the wire, remaining too close to call throughout election night, and automatically triggering a two-month-long hand recount. Ultimately, Edwards prevailed, defeating Bruebaker by a mere 470 votes statewide, 152,071 to 151,601.

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. Modeled after similar legislation applying to construction zones, the bill passed and was signed into law the same year. Bucking his own party's leadership and in a move opposed by then Democratic Governor John Kitzhaber, and drawing the ire of the Oregon Education Association, Edwards inserted a provision in a school funding bill which required audits of school districts' classification of students. Since state support doubles for students with disabilities, and includes extra funds for certain other types of students, the proposal was sought to insure such students were counted accurately.

Edwards' first elective office was as a member of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. In 1996, he sought nomination to the open seat for the 15th District in the state House of Representatives. The incumbent, Lisa Naito, had chosen not to seek reelection. 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. Edwards secured the nomination with 2,587 votes to March's 2,245 and Ainsworth's 815, going on to face Republican Mark Lewis, whom he defeated 12,998 to 5,697.

In 1992, Edwards and his wife, moved to Portland, Oregon, her hometown, and where they still make their home with their three children. She continued to work on Senator Packwood's staff for one more year, then managed Craig Berkman's unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign. Edwards took a position on Oregon State Treasurer Jim Hill's staff. Julia Brim-Edwards, is a deputy director for state government and public affairs for Nike, Inc. and former Portland Public Schools co-chair.

Edwards had his eye on the State Treasurer's post from the time he had worked as then Treasurer Jim Hill's legislative adviser from 1992 to 1996. "When I worked in the treasurer's office, I thought that this could be a job I could do," Edwards told the Oregonian in 2001, "I was intrigued and impressed with what the job entailed."

Edwards took a job at the Commerce Department, working on timber management policy, and attended George Washington University at night, earning an MBA in 1990.

Edwards went on to Colorado College, graduating in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in economics, before joining U.S. Senator Bob Packwood's constituent services staff in Washington, D.C., and working on agricultural issues. There, he met Julia Brim, a Packwood press aide, who would become his wife.

Randall Edwards (born August 13, 1961) is an American politician who most recently served as the state treasurer of the state of Oregon. A Democrat, Edwards was elected as treasurer in 2000, and reelected in 2004, after serving two terms in the Oregon Legislative Assembly. He served as a manager and senior advisor at the state treasury from 1992–1996, and was an International Trade Analyst for the U.S. Commerce Department.