Photo courtesy Dr. Joan Perry for Congress campaign

By Bryan Hanks

A political neophyte from Kinston is the latest candidate to join the Republican primary race to replace the late U.S. Rep. Walter B. Jones.

On Wednesday, Dr. Joan Perry, a pediatrician and mother of five, announced her intent to run for North Carolina’s District 3 seat, which opened up after the passing of Jones in February.

She joins a growing list of GOP candidates to declare for the seat, including Kinston’s Michele Nix, an investment advisor and former vice-chair of the North Carolina Republican Party and three current Republican members of the N.C. legislature.

Perry, the wife of prominent Kinston attorney Jimbo Perry, said following the recent death of her mother – for whom Perry and her husband provided care in their home – and the passing of Jones, she started thinking about the possibility of running for Jones’ seat in the U.S. House.

There was another spark that lit the fire under Perry, though.

“I happened to see the video of the New York legislature that upon the passing of the Reproductive Health Act, which removed exemptions for late-term abortions,” she said. “When I saw the legislature stand up and cheer about this, and following that, I heard the Virginia governor speak about defending infanticide, it overwhelmed me. As a pediatrician who has taken care of thousands of babies, all I could think about was these babies.”

She said those visuals drove her to her knees and made her realize someone needed to address that issue.

“Right now in Washington, there are a lot of strong, loud Democratic women voices that are promoting this agenda,” Perry said. “I believe there needs to be a strong conservative with a medical background speaking on the other side, speaking for the unborn.

“I want to be that voice.”

In her announcement, which can be viewed on the Neuse News Facebook page, she also cited her and her husband’s investment in the Kinston and Eastern North Carolina community and that she felt “called” to run for the office.

Jimbo Perry said he and the rest of the Perry family are excited about Dr. Perry’s decision to run for Congress.

“We understand this is not easy and that it’s totally getting out of our comfort zone,” Jimbo Perry said. “But we have really had a sense of call to do this together. It is a privilege to even be in the process of being able to run. It would be a great privilege if Joan got to one day take an oath of office. She’s going to give it her best.”