Woman in affair that led US rep to resign now seeks office

PITTSBURGH – A woman whose affair with a married eight-term Pennsylvania congressman led to his resignation is now pursuing her own run for the U.S. House.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Wednesday that 33-year-old Shannon Edwards announced she’s seeking the Republican nomination to take on Democratic Rep. Mike Doyle of Pittsburgh.

Republican Rep. Tim Murphy, an outspoken opponent of abortion rights, resigned in October after text messages obtained by the newspaper suggested that he wanted Edwards to get an abortion when they thought she might be pregnant.

A special election to fill Murphy’s seat will be held March 13. Edwards is running in a neighbouring congressional district.

Edwards tells the newspaper she doesn’t regret her relationship with Murphy.

The two are both psychologists, and their affair became public during Edwards’ own divorce proceedings.

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Information from: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, http://www.post-gazette.com