Shannon Edwards fails to file paperwork to run for Congress

Shannon Edwards, a Pittsburgh forensic psychologist who said she was running for Congress after reports of her extramarital affair with former U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy contributed to his resignation, didn't file necessary paperwork Tuesday to move forward with her campaign.

Nomination petitions, which require 1,000 signatures per candidate, were due to the Pennsylvania Department of State by 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Edwards, 33, of Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood didn't appear Wednesday on the department's list of candidates who filed petitions. Her campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lawrenceville is in the newly drawn 18th Congressional District, which covers much of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Forest Hills, is registered to run along with Democratic challenger Janis Brooks. No Republicans filed petitions.

Edwards, a Republican, had said she wanted to improve access to mental health treatment and reform the criminal justice system.

Murphy, an anti-abortion Republican from Upper St. Clair, resigned in October after the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that he asked Edwards to consider an abortion when the two thought she might be pregnant.

She is in divorce proceedings with Jesse Sally, an osteopathic doctor specializing in sports medicine.

A judge granted a temporary restraining order against Edwards during the divorce proceedings after Sally alleged that Edwards threatened on multiple occasions to kill him.

In her campaign, announced in February , Edwards tried to downplay the scandal and focus on her qualifications for office. She held campaign events that included seeking petitions for office, according to her campaign Instagram page.

Wes Venteicher is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-380-5676, wventeicher@tribweb.com or via Twitter @wesventeicher.