Jay Edwards

Jay Edwards is the state representative for the 94th District of the Ohio House of Representatives. He is a Republican. The district consists of Meigs County, as well as portions of Athens, Vinton and Washington counties.

Edwards was born and raised in Nelsonville, Ohio, where he graduated from Nelsonville-York High School and still resides today. He later attended nearby Ohio University on scholarship. Edwards is a licensed realtor.

His family has long roots in Nelsonville, where his uncle recently served as city manager.

In 2016, Representative Debbie Phillips was term-limited and ineligible to run for a fifth term. A Democrat, Phillips had only faced one serious election in her four terms, in 2014, where she won by just over 100 votes. However, despite Athens County, the largest in the district, being considered reliably Democratic, Republicans had historically seen success in winning the district prior to Phillips' taking the seat.

Democrats nonetheless fielded Sarah Grace, a small-business owner from Athens who was a newcomer to politics and a liberal. Despite being considered the favorite, Edwards raised considerable money, albeit not without controversy. In the end, in what was a very good year for Republicans, Edwards defeated Grace by a 58% to 42% margin, taking the seat.

Edwards is the first Republican to hold the seat since Jimmy Stewart held the seat from 2003 to 2008.